3D-Bioprinted Tumor To Help Identify New Therapeutics

Study in a Sentence: University of Minnesota researchers have developed 3D-bioprinted vascularized tumor tissue to study the molecular mechanisms of tumor progression and metastasis, and identify therapeutic agents and screen anticancer drugs.

Healthy for Humans: This in vitro model is completely comprised of human cells, making it translatable to human anatomy and physiology. Studying the effects of drugs with human cells at this level makes the results more predictive of what will happen in the body. This model can even use the patients' own tumor cells leading to advancements in treatments targeted to specific tumor types.  

Redefining Research: Vascularized tumor models are created to mimic key steps of cancer invasion, intravasation, and angiogenesis. This 3D-bioprinted tumor model can provide valuable understandings into the clinical translatability of potential treatments since it provides simplified chemical environments, making it more convenient to define molecular mechanisms. Researchers have initially focused on lung cancer and melanoma; they are planning to incorporate more cell types, like immune system cells, as well as cell therapies, and study those interactions.