A versatile brain-on-a-chip platform for studying brain tumours

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are the most common cancers arising within the brain and contribute to ~190,000 brain tumour related deaths/year globally. Despite surgery followed by radiotherapy (IR) and chemotherapy, median survival for patients remains around 1 year, highlighting a profound need to improve outcomes for this currently incurable disease. An accepted reason for the failure to develop improved treatments for GBM is the use of unrealistic drug screening systems that do not predict clinical outcomes. Recently alternative models for GBM study have been developed, in particular via 3D cell culture. The Claeyssens group have been working on the next generation of porous materials, which are based on polymerised High Internal Phase Emulsions (PolyHIPEs). We have developed polyHIPEs of soft biomaterials (e.g. polycaprolactone and polyglycerol sebacate) as mechanical mimics of soft tissue. Additionally, we have developed additive manufacturing techniques to print these polyHIPEs, which enables us to build complex 3D structures with these porous materials. These two developments enable us to propose this PhD project, where we will explore bespoke 3D scaffolds manufactured from polyHIPEs, where the microstructure and surface chemistry is optimised for integrating with cell-spheroid GBM models, bioprinted models of brain tumours and brain tumour tissue sections, with incorporation vasculature to mimic the brain-blood barrier (BBB).