An inexpensive “do-it-yourself” device for rapid generation of uniform tumor spheroids

Three-dimensional (3D) cancer cell culture models such as tumor spheroids better recapitulate in vivo tumors than conventional two-dimensional models. However, two major challenges limit the routine use of 3D tumor spheroids. Firstly, most existing methods of generating tumor spheroids are not high throughput. Secondly, tumor spheroids generated using current methods are highly variable in dimension. Here, we describe a simple “do-it-yourself” device that can be assembled for less than $7 of parts that can generate uniform tumor spheroids in a high-throughput manner. We used a simple phone coin-vibrating motor to superimpose the vibration for breaking a laminar jet of cell-loaded alginate solution into equally sized spherical beads. We generated 3,970 tumor spheroids/min, which exhibited a hypoxic core recapitulating in vivo tumors and could be used to test the diffusion efficacy of anti-cancer drugs. Such low-cost, easy-to-fabricate, simple-to-operate systems with high-throughput outcomes are essential to democratize and standardize cancer research.