The Community of Madrid drives new approach to treating complex diseases through mechanical stimuli
An ambitious project led by the Technical University of Madrid (UPM) and IMDEA Materials Institute aims to develop new tools to address some of today's most debilitating diseases.
The iCELLS-CM project, funded by the Community of Madrid, will lead new research into microphysiological devices capable of applying controlled mechanical stimuli to cells and tissues.
Through these devices, researchers will be able to study how certain signals influence biological processes associated with conditions such as breast cancer, diabetic ulcers and osteoporosis.
"We have identified several pathologies of interest whose conventional treatments could benefit from the adjuvant effects of additional mechanical stimuli at amplitudes and frequencies yet to be determined," explains Prof. Andrés Díaz Lantada from the UPM.
"Cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis are extraordinarily complex problems, whose treatment can now draw on mechanobiology as an emerging field of knowledge," he added.
The research will be based on organ-on-a-chip (OoC) and lab-on-a-chip (LoC) technologies, miniaturised devices capable of reproducing key aspects of human physiology.
OoCs recreate the structure and function of human tissues, such as the lung or the liver, on a chip, a small device about the size of a coin. Meanwhile, LoCs integrate multiple analytical processes on a microchip, enabling rapid, automated chemical or biological analyses using very small sample volumes.
For the first time, employing innovative engineering design and computational modeling strategies, researchers will also combine these systems with digital twins built from experimental data. This will allow them to model cellular behaviour and predict how different cells respond to different mechanical stimuli.
"These advanced devices can accelerate health research and enable it to be carried out effectively, safely and sustainably, thanks to their capacity for miniaturisation and multiplexing, and contribute to the reduction of animal experimentation," says Prof. Díaz Lantada.
"However, they are also complex systems to develop, and require both specialised microfabrication facilities, and a range of costly supporting technologies."
"For this reason, the project will explore accessible designs and technologies, while contributing to open science by sharing selected designs and solutions."
iCELLS-CM is a synergistic alliance, taking advantage of the unique capabilities offered by the university and IMDEA Materials Institute. UPM will contribute extensive expertise in advanced enabling technologies that allow cells and tissues to be analysed at different scales in a systematic and reproducible manner.
Meanwhile, research at IMDEA Materials will be led by Dr. Mónica Echeverry Rendón, with the participation of Prof. Jon Molina in the field of micro- and nanomechanics. The work will focus on cell analysis, cell biology, and on enabling the beneficial effects of mechanobiology in connection with a variety of relevant pathologies.
According to Dr. Echeverry Rendón, iCELLS-CM poses many research challenges, both fundamental and applied, associated with mechanically interrogating cells to obtain relevant indications for future therapies.
"To modify the cellular microenvironment, it is essential to understand the mechanisms that are triggered following mechanical stimulation," said Dr. Echeverry Rendón. "Given the complexity of this system and the variability among different types of cells or tissues, it is necessary to explore a range of strategies, from design to stimulation approaches, to propose optimised solutions."
"This is, without doubt, an ambitious project," she added. "Its success largely lies in our multidisciplinary team, with strong participation from young and early-career researchers, which enables us to address the problem from multiple perspectives."
"This project also marks the beginning of a consolidated line of research, strengthened through national and international collaborations and geared towards larger-scale projects."
This synergistic R&D project, "Development of lab-on-a-chip devices for multiscale mechanobiology and associated digital twins for the research and modelling of therapeutic mechanical stimuli for global health" (reference SYG-2024/TEC-1062; acronym iCELLS-CM), is funded by the Community of Madrid through the 2024 call for collaborative R&D projects carried out by research groups belonging to universities and research organisations in the Community of Madrid under the Synergistic R&D Projects scheme.
Provided by IMDEA Materials
