Correlating microenvironment and Response to immunotherapy.
Layman's description
Tumors are not simply masses of cancer cells. They contain many different cell types and have local differences in factors such as oxygen, acidity, and tissue stiffness. These differences influence how cancer develops and how well treatments work. Because existing laboratory and animal models cannot fully reproduce the complexity of real tumors, researchers need better tools to study cancer and test new therapies. Such tools could improve drug development, reduce costs, and help identify the best treatment for each patient.
The SMART-ToC project aims to create a highly realistic "breast tumor-on-a-chip": a miniature laboratory model that mimics a real breast tumor with its corresponding environment. It will include cancer cells, immune cells, supporting tissue cells, and other important elements; as well as built-in sensors that continuously measure important factors such as oxygen, pH, and tissue stiffness.
Researchers will use this model to test advanced cancer treatments, including antibody-based and virus-based immunotherapies, and compare their effects on cancerous and healthy breast tissue. The goal is to better understand why treatments succeed or fail and to improve the development of new therapies.
In the long term, the technology could help reduce reliance on animal testing, accelerate drug development, lower costs, and support personalized medicine by using cells from individual patients to predict which treatments are most likely to work for them.
