WSU Researchers create T-Cell Machine

PULLMAN – Researchers from Washington State University have developed a mini-fridge sized reactor that rapidly grows T-Cells, a cancer fighting white blood cell.

The machine manufactures the white blood cells 30% faster than current technologies, at a maximum growth rate of 95%.

The currently used cells, derived from cattle, were developed by Bill Davis of WSU’s Veterinary College, and are speculated to work similarly on human cells.

Four decades of research into centrifugal bioreactor development lead to the instrument, which keeps the growing cells suspended as a dense cloud and continuously bathes the cells with nutrients to develop.

Researchers hope to improve on their design, adding multiple chambles to hopefully produce enough cells in three days for three doses of therapy.

Plans to start testing with human cells have began with communication with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, who has 10 clinical site on the west side of Washington.