How does diabetes affect pancreatic cancer?

Dr Baranowska specialises in designing and developing advanced microsystems that enable cells to be studied under conditions closely resembling the functioning of human tissues and organs. She creates miniature microfluidic devices for cell culture and the analysis of cellular responses to various factors and therapeutic substances. Her research includes organ-on-a-chip technologies, which make it possible to reproduce selected processes occurring in the human body under laboratory conditions. In this way, she develops tools that support a better understanding of disease mechanisms and help assess the effectiveness and safety of potential therapies.

The project, entitled Tissue-on-Chip Model for Investigating the Relationship Between Pancreatic Cancer and Metabolic Diseases – A Step Towards More Effective Diagnosis and Treatment, has received funding under the FIRST TEAM FENG programme. Its main objective is to develop an innovative tissue-on-chip microfluidic system that will enable researchers to investigate the interactions between two diseases. The system will combine two three-dimensional tissue models based on human cell lines: a model of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and a model representing metabolic disorders (diabetes).

"By using controlled fluid flow, we will be able to conduct long-term studies on the interactions between diabetes and pancreatic cancer under conditions closely resembling physiological ones. This will allow us to assess how diabetes-related changes, including elevated glucose levels and impaired insulin function, may affect tumour development and progression. We will also investigate how cancer cells influence glucose regulation and pancreatic function," explains Patrycja Baranowska, PhD, from WUT CEZAMAT. "The developed platform will also be used to test anticancer and antidiabetic drugs, assess their effectiveness and identify potential adverse effects in the context of coexisting pancreatic cancer and metabolic diseases."

The project's main outcome will be an innovative tissue-on-chip microsystem prototype capable of simultaneously maintaining two three-dimensional cellular models of pancreatic cancer and diabetes under controlled flow conditions and enabling the study of interactions between the two diseases. The resulting technology could serve as a versatile platform for preclinical research and drug evaluation, contributing to a better understanding of cancer development mechanisms and supporting the development of new therapeutic strategies. The project will also deliver protocols for device fabrication, cell culture, and monitoring and analysing changes occurring in both models. As part of the research, the microsystem will be used to test selected drugs for metabolic disorders and potential anticancer therapies. This will make it possible to evaluate their effects on the pancreatic cancer model and identify potentially undesirable interactions associated with coexisting diabetes.

"My goal is to develop a versatile research platform that can eventually be adapted to study other types of cancer and metabolic diseases. I want to create a solution that can be useful in preclinical research, enable the testing of potential therapies and the exploration of new treatment strategies, while also offering opportunities for further development and commercialisation," emphasises Dr Baranowska. "I would like to address the challenges associated with the late detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), its highly aggressive nature and the limited effectiveness of currently available treatments. One important challenge is to develop a research tool that can more accurately reproduce the pathophysiological mechanisms of this disease and identify changes occurring during its early stages. Another important aspect is exploring new ways of assessing the risk of developing the disease, including among patients with metabolic disorders, and creating conditions for more effective testing of potential therapeutic substances."

The researcher also aims to address challenges related to the limited effectiveness and high costs of preclinical studies, as well as the need to reduce the use of laboratory animals in the development of new therapies. There is a growing need for research tools that enable more efficient and reproducible experiments while providing more reliable assessments of potential therapeutic substances. Developing a microfluidic platform could help streamline this process and advance research methods that more accurately replicate conditions in the human body.

The project involves developing an entirely new technological solution from scratch, enabling two three-dimensional tissue models to be cultured simultaneously within a single microfluidic device. Although the research will build on the team's existing scientific knowledge, its objective is to create an innovative research platform integrating both models into one system.

The project will run for three years and is scheduled for completion in 2030. It is divided into four main stages:

• development of three-dimensional cellular models,
• design and development of the tissue-on-chip system,
• establishment of conditions for the simultaneous culture of two 3D cellular models,
• analysis of the effects of alternative therapeutic strategies on the developed models.

The greatest challenge will be integrating two complex cellular models into a single device in such a way that both can function properly while also interacting with each other.

"Each model has different requirements in terms of cell culture and operating conditions. We therefore need to find a solution that will maintain both models in an appropriate state while enabling communication between them and ensuring reliable measurements. The design of the microsystem itself also requires considerable attention. We need to ensure appropriate channel geometry, stable fluid flow, material biocompatibility and the possibility of maintaining long-term cell cultures," explains Dr Patrycja Baranowska. "It is precisely this integration of technical and biological requirements that represents both the project's greatest challenge and its most interesting scientific aspect."

The primary users of the developed technology will be research laboratories, scientific institutes and R&D teams in biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. The platform will be particularly valuable to research teams working in oncology, tissue engineering, cell biology and the development of new therapeutic approaches. It could also become a useful tool for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries by increasing the reliability of preclinical studies, shortening the time required to develop new medicines and reducing both research costs and the number of experiments involving laboratory animals. Its application could additionally reduce reagent consumption and laboratory waste. It is important to emphasise, however, that the platform will support preclinical research rather than directly replace clinical trials.

Valuable expert support

Several researchers will be involved in the project. Patrycja Baranowska, PhD, is the Principal Investigator and will be responsible for coordinating the research and development activities, designing the tissue-on-chip microsystem, developing the tissue models and analysing the results. The project also plans to recruit Professor Marek Krawczyk, affiliated with the Medical University of Warsaw and WUT CEZAMAT, a renowned oncologist who will provide expert support in developing the pancreatic cancer model. His knowledge and clinical experience will be important in defining the model's biological assumptions and interpreting the research findings. Another researcher to be recruited through CEZAMAT at WUT is Magdalena Flont, PhD, a specialist in cancer models. She will support the selection and development of cellular models, optimisation of cell culture conditions and assessment of changes occurring in the cancer model.

An important part of the project will be recruiting and establishing a new research team. The recruitment process will involve inviting early-career researchers, including PhD candidates and assistant professors, as well as students from the Warsaw University of Technology. New team members will participate in experimental work, cell culture, the development and optimisation of research protocols, microsystem operation and data analysis. This recruitment will make it possible to attract specialists whose skills match the project's individual tasks while providing young researchers with opportunities to gain experience at the intersection of biomedical engineering, cancer biology and metabolic diseases.

As part of the project, the Warsaw University of Technology will establish cooperation with two companies and one European university. The industry partners will be Nobilus Ent, operating in the pharmaceutical sector and specialising in the development of medicinal products, as well as BioCloner, developing 3D bioprinting technologies and solutions in tissue engineering. The academic partner will be Dr Mònica Mir Llorente from the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) in Barcelona. Her research focuses on microfluidic technologies, biosensors and organ-on-a-chip systems used in disease modelling and biomedical research.

The FIRST TEAM FENG project will bring significant scientific and developmental benefits to the Warsaw University of Technology. It will enable the expansion of advanced research infrastructure and the establishment of an interdisciplinary team conducting research with practical application potential. Another important opportunity will be the development of international cooperation and partnerships with industry, facilitating knowledge and technology transfer between academia and the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. The project could strengthen WUT's international recognition as a research centre contributing to the development of innovative medical technologies. It will also lay the foundations for developing new technologies, research procedures and solutions with commercialisation potential. Furthermore, the project will contribute to strengthening the University's research standing, developing early-career researchers and creating solutions that support preclinical studies and the development of new therapies.