Invention:
This technology is a tumor-on-chip that can be utilized in research and development of drugs. The tumor-on-chip is a 3D structure that consists of multiple cellular components found within a tumor micro-environment (TME). The TME is the environment around a tumor that consists of both cellular and non-cellular components. The TME plays a large role in tumorigenesis but has been difficult to study because there is not an adequate model that properly mimics both the tumor and its environment. This model can be utilized for a wide variety of tumors but initial prototypes and studies are being done in an ovarian cancer model.
Background:
Developing new drug therapies to treat various types of cancer is challenging on a variety of fronts. This technology addresses a critical problem found at the pre-clinical stage of cancer drug development - the lack of efficient in vitro models that simulate the live tumor micro-environment (TME).
Applications:
- Model for use in pre-clinical research for ovarian cancer drug therapies
- The method and apparatus might also be used to create models for other types of cancer
Advantages:
- Greater reliability of results over current in-vitro models used in pre-clinical cancer drug research
