The project idea builds on the team's previous research and expertise, guided by a shared goal: enhancing the accuracy of evaluating the body's genuine response to drugs outside the human organism (in in vitro conditions). Furthermore, the researchers aim to lower the costs of preclinical studies, reduce the use of reagents and waste production, and uphold the 3R principle (replacement, reduction, refinement), thereby limiting the reliance on animal testing.

By the conclusion of the project, the team aims to develop the CellSphereMultiFlow tool using a material suitable for production beyond the laboratory scale. A complete production process for the tool will be developed, outlining each production step, along with the required post-processing—refining a repeatable and reliable manufacturing method.

 “The geometry of the CellSphereMultiFlow has been developed; however, at present, we use soft lithography for the production of CellSphereMultiFlow tools. This technology is proven and repeatable, excluding the human factor, but it is not suitable for large-scale production. Therefore, we are working on a different technology and selecting appropriate materials and polymers that will allow for faster and more efficient production, which could be scaled up in the future. Ongoing research will help refine the production technology of the CellSphereMultiFlow tool and support its future implementation and commercialization,” explains Agnieszka Żuchowska, PhD, from the Faculty of Chemistry at the Warsaw University of Technology, the project leader.

Additionally, by the end of the project, preliminary analyses are planned as a step toward obtaining material certification (for use in biological research) for the material from which the CellSphereMultiFlow tool will be made. These analyses will include gas permeability, determination of flow values and types, including shear stresses, as well as the evaluation of cell viability.

The CellSphereMultiFlow tool project is being carried out by a team consisting of three female researchers: Agnieszka Żuchowska, PhD (Faculty of Chemistry), team leader and creator of the CellSphereMultiFlow geometry, Patrycja Baranowska, PhD (CEZAMAT), and Professor Elżbieta Jastrzębska, PhD (Faculty of Chemistry, CEZAMAT). The researchers are collaboratively working on finalizing the CellSphereMultiFlow geometry. Additionally, Żuchowska, PhD, is responsible for conducting biological research, Baranowska, PhD, for refining the production technology, and Professor Jastrzębska is tasked with conducting biocompatibility testing of the materials in accordance with ISO 10993 standards.

The project budget, funded by the "Excellence Initiative – Research University" program, is PLN 150,000.