“A spheroid angiogenic vascularization microfluidic device to replace metastasis-based mouse models”

Ian Smith, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Maryland-College Park, has received IFER funding from 2023-2024 for his project, “A spheroid angiogenic vascularization microfluidic device to replace metastasis-based mouse models.” Tumor metastasis is one of the deadliest aspects of cancer progression. While animal models have historically played a role in our understanding of this process, their limitations prompt the need for innovative approaches. The goal of Ian’s project is to validate a novel in vitro cancer model to better understand intravasation, an early event in cancer spread. Ian’s lab has developed a spheroid angiogenic vascularization microfluidic device (SAVd) that incorporates relevant structures found in vivo, while allowing for real time observation across different imaging modalities. He will validate the efficacy of this device and use it to identify the underlying mechanisms of cancer cell intravasation into blood vessels and develop a treatment regime to mitigate this process.