Article published by the scientific journal Nano-Micro Small

A Novel Multicompartment Barrier-Free Microfluidic Device Reveals the Impact of Extracellular Matrix Stiffening and Temozolomide on Immune-Tumor Interactions in Glioblastoma. Clara Bayona, Claudia Olaizola-Rodrigo, Vira Sharko, Mehran Ashrafi, Jesús del Barrio, Manuel Doblaré, Rosa Monge, Ignacio Ochoa, and Sara Oliván. DOI

The work has been published by the scientific journal Nano-Micro Small. This device has no physical barriers and allows for addressing fundamental questions in cancer research by integrating biology, engineering, and computational simulation.

The immune system plays a crucial role in shaping the tumor microenvironment of glioblastoma, which is characterized by its complexity. Understanding the interaction between this tumor and immunology is essential for advancing cancer research and therapeutic development. Nearly half of the patients develop resistance to treatment, mainly due to the high heterogeneity that characterizes this brain tumor.

Now, the Tissue Microenvironment (TME Lab) research group at the Institute of Research in Engineering of Aragon (I3A) at the University of Zaragoza, and the Aragon Health Research Institute (IIS Aragon), in collaboration with Beonchip, has developed a novel barrier-free, multi-compartment microfluidic device that overcomes the limitations of existing models by enabling interactions between tumor and immune cells without physical barriers. “A powerful tool to study the immune dynamics of glioblastoma and assess therapeutic strategies,” say the researchers who authored the scientific paper in which this scientific breakthrough was published, Nano-Micro Small.

Microfluidics has emerged as a promising approach to recreate the interaction between cancer and the immune system in a controlled and reproducible environment. However, current designs often introduce barriers such as membranes, pillars, and phase guides, which disrupt immune cell infiltration and limit their ability to mimic in vivo conditions. Other techniques, such as creating laminar flow patterns, although eliminating physical barriers, are limited by their incompatibility in creating specific geometries.

The study shows how increased matrix stiffness around the tumor, induced in vivo by the tumor itself, enhances its invasive ability while simultaneously hindering immune cell infiltration, providing it with a dual advantage.

On the other hand, it has also been observed that treatment with temozolomide, a chemotherapeutic drug used in glioblastoma, reduces and slows immune infiltration while triggering an immune response, which may be favorable for the application of cellular therapies.

This publication highlights the research group’s ability to create innovative technologies that address fundamental issues in cancer research, with an approach that integrates biology, engineering, and computational simulation. The platform they have developed allows for a deeper understanding of the interactions between the tumor and a person’s immune system, “a significant advancement both scientifically and medically, with the potential to drive new therapeutic strategies and contribute to the development of more personalized and effective treatments,” say the TME Lab researchers.

Another important aspect is the chip’s design itself, as it can be used in other fields of study to answer complex biological questions.

This project is supported by the Chips Joint Undertaking (Grant Agreement No. 101140192) and its members including the top-up funding of Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania and Spain. This work has received funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI).​

Ref: PCI2024-153531 funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and, as appropriate, by “ERDF A way of making Europe”, by “ERDF/EU”, by the “European Union” or by the “European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR”.