The Liquid Biopsy Platform empowers the research community with instrumentation and technical expertise. Founded by Dr. Massimo Cristofanilli, MD, and directed by Dr. Carolina Reduzzi, PhD, we support every stage of the liquid biopsy process.
Liquid biopsy is a minimally invasive method to study tumor-derived material using biofluids (mainly blood) to collect information about the tumor in real time, without the need of multiple tissue biopsies.
- Cancer interception
- Prognostic stratification
- Treatment monitoring
- Study of the tumor evolution
- Identification of new potential treatment targets
- Early detection / cancer interception
Together, the Englander Institute for Precision Medicine and Cristofanilli Lab leverage this powerful tool for improving personalized medicine.
Our mission, vision and values
Our mission is to accelerate scientific discovery and translational medicine by providing high‑quality, accessible, and scientifically rigorous support on liquid biopsy.
We empower researchers, clinicians, and innovators by delivering reliable, cutting‑edge technologies that uncover real‑time biological insights from minimally invasive samples.
We are committed to:
- Enabling discovery through sensitive, reproducible analysis of circulating biomarkers
- Democratizing advanced technologies by offering our platform, expertise, and validated workflows to partners who may not have access to specialized equipment or experience.
- Driving translational impact, helping collaborators move from hypothesis to data to actionable insights with faster turnaround and scientific support.
- Upholding scientific excellence through meticulous quality control, robust experimental design, and continuous innovation in sample processing and analytics.
- Building collaborative partnerships grounded in scientific integrity, open communication, and a shared goal of improving human health.
Our purpose is simple: to become the trusted experimental engine behind groundbreaking liquid biopsy research, enabling others to ask bold questions and get dependable answers.
Instruments & Technologies
Instruments & Technologies
Parsortix is an instrument for capturing and harvesting intact and viable CTCs and CTC clusters from whole blood for downstream analyses. The instrument performs a label-free enrichment of CTCs, based on cell size and deformability. Parsortix is FDA-cleared for CTC enrichment in metastatic breast cancer.
See.d is a platform for standardized, automated fresh blood sample preparation for liquid biopsy analysis. The instrument separate plasma and white blood cells. White blood cells are transferred as a fixed monolayer on SBS slides for CTC identification, and plasma is available for cell-free content analysis. SBS slides allow immediate, gentle and efficient adhesion of any living cell, enabling a total capture. A complete analytical evaluation of morphological, proteomic and genetic features of CTCs is possible at the single-cell level.
TellDx CTC System is an instrument for the enrichment of CTCs that combines microfluidics and CD45-depletion. It allows for the recovery of viable CTCs for downstream analyses.
CellSieve TM Microfilters allow for the size-based enrichment, through whole blood filtration, of different cancer associated circulating cells (including CTCs, CTC clusters, and cancer-associated macrophage-like cells (CAMLs)). After filtration, cells are stained for the nucleus and markers of interest, followed by imaging under the microscope.
ScreenCell technology include a variety of kits for the size-based enrichment of CTCs through filtration. Different kits can be used for CTC cytology and molecular biology analyses, or for cell culture.
Services
Services
Sample Collection & Processing
- Whole blood collection and stabilization (Streck, EDTA, CellSave, etc.)
- Plasma and serum separation with standardized, high‑viability workflows
- PBMC isolation (Ficoll, Lymphoprep, automated systems)
- Sample quality control assays (hemolysis scoring, nucleic acid QC, cell viability)
- Clinical‑grade SOPs for reproducible processing
Nucleic Acid Extraction & Quantification
- cfDNA extraction (high‑yield, high‑purity protocols)
- ctDNA enrichment and size selection
- Extracellular vesicle RNA/DNA extraction
- Whole blood RNA extraction (bulk or cell‑type‑specific)
- Automated high‑throughput nucleic acid extraction
Biobanking & Sample Management
- Long‑term cryogenic storage of plasma, serum, cfDNA, RNA, PBMCs, EVs
- Data curation and secure database management
- Logistics & distribution for collaborator studies
Molecular Profiling Services (Liquid Biopsy Focus)
- Cell‑free DNA analysis
- Mutation profiling (SNVs, indels, CNVs)
- Methylation profiling of cfDNA
- Fragmentomics & nucleosome positioning
- Cell‑free RNA sequencing
- Extracellular vesicle characterization
- Circulating tumor cell (CTC) analysis (isolation, staining, genomics)
- Targeted sequencing panels (oncology, MRD, custom assays)
- Whole‑genome sequencing / shallow WGS for copy‑number landscapes
Single‑Cell Technologies
- Single‑cell isolation wifh Micromanipulation
- Single‑cell genomics (scDNA‑seq)
- Single‑cell transcriptomics (scRNA‑seq, multiome)
Imaging & Cell Biology Services
- Fluorescence and confocal microscopy
- High‑content imaging with automated quantification pipelines
- Immunofluorescence & immunocytochemistry on rare cells/CTCs
Bioinformatics, Statistics & Machine Learning
- Raw data processing for sequencing and imaging
- Variant calling pipelines optimized for cfDNA/ctDNA
- Methylation deconvolution & tissue‑of‑origin inference
- Fragmentomics‑based ML classifiers
- Single‑cell analytics (clustering, trajectory, cell‑type annotation)
- Predictive modeling & biomarker discovery
- Interactive dashboards and publication‑ready reports
Study Design, Advisory & Collaboration
- End‑to‑end experimental design (bench → data → interpretation)
- Assay selection guidance (genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic)
- Cross‑discipline project management with defined milestones
Specialized & Advanced Services
- Minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring assays
- Ultra‑low‑input / low‑allele‑frequency detection
- TCR/BCR repertoire profiling
- Long‑read sequencing for structural variants
- Multi‑omic integration across cfDNA, EVs, CTCs, and single‑cell data
- Assay development & validation for partner labs and consortia
Grant Writing & Experimental Design Support
We help partners secure funding and design robust, review‑ready studies that stand up to scientific and statistical scrutiny.
Grant Strategy & Writing
- Opportunity matching & strategy (NIH, NSF, DoD, EU, foundations, disease‑focused RFPs)
- Specific Aims development with clear hypotheses, outcomes, and decision points
- Significance & Innovation articulation tailored to the funding mechanism
- Approach section drafting with detailed experimental plans, controls, and alternatives
- Letters of Support / Consortium agreements and facility/resource descriptions
- Budget & Justification aligned with scope, personnel, and milestones
Experimental & Statistical Design
- Randomization, blinding, batch‑effect mitigation guidance
- MRD/monitoring study frameworks (sampling intervals, thresholds, decision rules)
- Translational study design: endpoints, covariates, clinical integration, and feasibility
Review‑Ready Deliverables
- Annotated Specific Aims page (1 page, fully formatted)
- Gantt chart & milestone table with risk mitigation strategies
- Flow diagrams for sample → assay → analysis pathways
- Mock figures & preliminary data packaging (using pilot or literature‑based benchmarks)
- Response‑to‑reviewer support for resubmissions
Recent Publications
Educational Resources
HemOnc Seminar Talks (HOST)-ing: The Liquid Biopsy Series
Once a month we also conduct a seminar series that dives into the fascinating world of liquid biopsy — a new way of understanding health using just a simple blood sample. This lively, easy‑to‑follow series highlights the smart technologies behind this approach and the exciting projects we’re building with our partners. Each session offers a behind‑the‑scenes look at how collaboration, creativity, and science come together to move healthcare forward.
Past Seminar Recordings
Liquid Biopsy News
The EIPM Liquid Biopsy platform receives additional funding the AACR, LBCA and Deborah Mueller Foundation to investigate metastasis in lobular breast cancer through a comprehensive liquid biopsy approach.
