Expressed Cellular Barcodes to enable simultaneous lineage tracing and single cell phenotypic measurements

Researchers at Stanford have developed a method using expressed genetic barcodes to enable simultaneous lineage tracing and single cell profiling. Intratumor heterogeneity fosters tumor evolution which is a key contributor to therapeutic failure and the lethality of cancer. To more effectively fight cancer, intratumor heterogeneity and tumor evolution need to be considered. Sequencing methods have been developed to help analyze and understand tumor evolution but they are not optimal. To help overcome the limitations of the existing methods the inventors have developed this technology. It is a sequencing-based ultra-high resolution lineage tracing and single cell phenotyping system for mammalian cells. It uses an expressed genetic barcode to capture subclone specific DNA, RNA or protein expression. This enables quantification of clonal dynamics and identification of functional determinants of this process. The technology can be used in therapeutic development and tumor diagnostics as it enables robust mapping of cellular identity to phenotype thereby allowing delineation of genotype to phenotype maps in cancer.

Stage of research
In vitro and in vivo proof-of-concept studies have been performed and show great promise. Additional development is ongoing.