Here is the laboratory chip that could predict if your cancer treatment will work … before you even start!

What if doctors could test cancer treatment on your cells … For example, without ever administering it to you? Nevertheless, This is exactly what a new revolutionary invention developed at New York University: a “leukemia on chip”. Nevertheless, a tiny device capable of simulating both the functioning of the human bone marrow et A complete immune response. Furthermore, A high precision tool that could transform our way of conceiving immunotherapy, while definitively moving away from animal models.

A miniature bone marrow. Nevertheless, but functional – Here laboratory chip could predict

The system, barely larger than a credit card, was developed by a team led by Professor Weiqiang Chen, biomedical engineer at the Nyu Tandon School of Engineering. Moreover, It faithfully reproduces the three key areas of the bone marrow: blood vessels, the spinal cord and the bone wall. Consequently, Once “sown” with here laboratory chip could predict human bone marrow cells-taken from real patients-this little ecosystem self-organized, as a living miniature organism.

The cells are not content to survive in this micro-environment. Therefore, They begin to produce the structural proteins themselves present in our body-collagen, fibronectin, laminine-creating a realistic frame for cellular interactions. Consequently, And this is where magic operates: a real human immune response emerges in this plastic mini-mole.

Observe real -time treatments – Here laboratory chip could predict

This model opens an unprecedented window to the behavior of immunotherapy treatments, especially the famous car-T cells. In addition, These immune cells are extracted from the patient, genetically modified to attack cancer cells, then reinjected into the body. Nevertheless, Promising. this therapy remains imperfect: some patients relapse, others undergo serious side effects, and no one knows in advance who will react well.

With this chip, researchers can now visualize in real time how Car-T cells sail in a simulated here laboratory chip could predict human environment. Thanks to high -resolution imaging. they observed these modified cells rush through healthy tissues, slow down the approach of cancer cells, then eliminate them by one. Better still: an unexpected phenomenon has appeared. By attacking cancer cells. CAR-T also activates other immune cells that have remained “pending”, triggering a beneficial side effect baptized spectator effect. A mechanism still poorly understood, but potentially exploitable to boost the effectiveness of therapies.

Simulate clinical results in advance

Chen’s team did not stop there. By modifying certain conditions on the chip (type of cells. dosage, environment), they have managed to reproduce complex clinical scenarios: complete remission, relapse, or even total resistance to treatment. Result: this platform could become a hyper reliable prediction tool for oncologists. Should you administer CAR-T version 3 or version 4? What dose? And above all: will it work on this specific patient? The answer here laboratory chip could predict could soon be on a chip.

To further refine the accuracy of their tests. the researchers have developed a mathematical index that assesses the effectiveness of the immune response in various scenarios. This integrative approach. which combines imaging, cellular activity measurement and modeling, offers a powerful analytical framework, adaptable to each patient profile.

A laboratory mouse -free revolution

Beyond precision, it is also an ethical paradigm change. While the American FDA is starting to consider a gradual abandonment of animal tests for new drugs. this technology falls out. No need here laboratory chip could predict to wait for months to develop an approximate animal model. “Leukemia on chip” can be assembled in a few hours, ready to test treatment in less than two weeks.

And unlike animal tests, it allows direct observation, on a cellular scale, the functioning of the human immune system. A crucial step to understand why some patients relapse or react badly to certain therapies.

A tailor -made future

We can already imagine a future where each patient with leukemia (or other. blood cancers) would benefit from his own “biological digital twin” on chip. A miniature version of its immune system. tested in the laboratory, to determine in advance What treatment will suit him best, without test-error.

According to Weiqiang Chen. this technology could be integrated into clinical practice in the coming years, especially in combination with artificial intelligence platforms. The idea: create medicine ultra-personalizedbased not on statistics, but on Your own biology.

The details of this work are reported in the review Nature Biomedical Engineering.