Engineers apply new tech to model deadly brain tumors
Glioblastoma is a brain cancer with very poor survival outcomes.
Most drugs can’t cross the blood-brain barrier, which means that unlike other cancers, there just aren’t that many therapies available for brain tumors.
But a cutting-edge technology developed at the University of Cincinnati aims to change that. Researchers are using 3D bioprinting to create artificial blood vessels that can be used to test new custom-tailored drugs and study why glioblastoma is so resilient.
“Our goal is to develop models that can be used to get new insights into the mechanism that promotes tumor regeneration and drug resistance enabling testing of new therapeutics,” said Riccardo Barrile, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering in UC’s College of Engineering and Applied Science.
The study was published in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials.
UC doctoral student Sirjana Pun uses a 3D printer to create bioprinted devices that mimic blood vessels in Riccardo Barrile's biomedical engineering lab. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand
“Glioblastoma is the most aggressive form of primary brain tumor. It’s typically lethal,” Barrile said. “It’s a terrible disease.”
Doctors typically prescribe chemotherapy in combination with surgical removal of the tumors and radiation therapy. But glioblastoma is resilient and typically becomes drug resistant over time, he said.
“It’s difficult to target these tumors,” he said. “They are strategically infiltrated in healthy parts of brain tissue.”
The first “organs-on-a-chip” were made less than 20 years ago. It’s a field that holds a lot of promise in the field of drug development, but is in its infancy, Barrile said.
Using standard technology, organs on a chip can take months to make. But Barrile and his students can use 3D bioprinting to create custom synthetic blood vessels far more quickly for each patient.
“Molds are generated using classic manufacturing techniques. It can take weeks to months to generate a prototype. Our 3D printing approach takes just a few hours,” he said.
And that opens a world of research and treatment possibilities, he said.
Bioprinting is a new frontier of research and medicine that one day could replace the need for animals in medical testing. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand
Likewise, Barrile said traditional organs-on-a-chip use silicon materials. But the drugs needed to treat glioblastoma are small-molecule drugs — so small that they easily can get absorbed into the silicon form instead of the tissue where it is needed.
“We’re not using silicon materials but microfluidic hydrogels. That’s an advantage because silicon devices deplete the drug’s efficacy. The molecules just disappear into the framework,” he said.
Organs-on-a-chip could one day eliminate the need for medical testing on animals, Barrile said.
UC doctoral student Sirjana Pun says bioprinted devices hold a lot of promise in developing custom treatments for patients. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand
Creating custom therapies
Lead author Sirjana Pun, a doctoral student in biomedical engineering at UC, said organs-on-a-chip devices hold great potential for advancing the development of new therapies.
"Existing glioblastoma treatments follow a one-size-fits-all approach, which has proven ineffective in significantly improving patient survival. Our system can be utilized to create personalized disease models, enabling the testing of novel therapies tailored to each patient's unique needs,” she said.
“I’m grateful for the research opportunity at UC to work in a field I’m deeply passionate about,” Pun said.
They collaborated with Soma Sengupta from the UC College of Medicine, Daniel Pomeranz Krummel at the University of North Carolina and Giuseppe Sciumé from the University of Bordeaux in France. UC biomedical engineering students Dalee Demaree and Anusha Prakash also contributed. The study was supported by the UC Office of Research and UC’s Gardner Neuroscience Institute.
“I’m glad to be part of this society as we work together with other scientists in academia, industry and regulatory agencies to drive adoption of this technology with the long-term idea of replacing animal models and providing alternative methods for drug testing,” Barrile said.
Featured image at top: UC Assistant Professor Riccardo Barrile is studying bioprinting technology to help cancer patients in his biomedical engineering lab. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand
UC Assistant Professor Riccardo Barrile is studying ways to use bioprinted devices to speed up medical tests to treat conditions such as glioblastoma. Photo/Andrew Higley/UC Marketing + Brand
Next Lives Here
The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.
Latest UC News
- Fall can be prime time of year for sinus sufferingThe fall season can be a prime time of year for sinus suffering, but Ahmad Sedaghat, MD, PhD, FACS, said it doesn't have to be that way. He is a professor of otolaryngology in the UC College of Medicine. He is also director of the division of rhinology, allergy and anterior skull base surgery. Sedaghat is an internationally recognized expert on chronic rhinosinusitis and allergies.
- How to find startup mentors for your businessIt can be difficult to navigate entrepreneurship without prior experience founding a company. Our guide provides four tips on how to find mentors for your startup who can provide that much needed experience.
- Celebrate UC’s record Ride Cincinnati effort with your supportMore than 75 faculty, staff and students rode in the 2024 Ride Cincinnati fundraiser for cancer care. Donate to support them.
- CCM Cello student advances in Naumburg CompetitionEach year, hundreds of applicants from around the world vie for a chance to compete in the prestigious Naumburg Competition. Current CCM freshman Miriam K. Smith, a student of CCM Professor Alan Rafferty, has qualified to compete among some of the best cellists from around the world in the 2024 International Cello Competition, which takes place October 15-20 in New York City. At just 17, Smith is the youngest of the 39 competitors.
- Get your shred on during Cybersecurity Awareness MonthThe UC Office of Information Security will host paper shred events on Tuesday, October 1 and 29, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- An entrepreneur’s guide to time managementAs an entrepreneur, you’re likely juggling multiple tasks at once. Our team has compiled four tips to help startup founders handle time management.