A new approach to modeling tumors

Researchers at EPFL and the University of Lyon have developed a device for creating cell aggregates in a fully controlled manner. Their aim is to model tumors more accurately in order to test potential new treatments. When researchers develop new therapies, such as for cancer, they need to be able to test them on models that closely resemble human tissue. Cell aggregates - groups of cells created in controlled laboratory conditions - represent a promising step in that direction. The  Microsystems Laboratory 4  at EPFL's School of Engineering, working in collaboration with the  Ampère Laboratory  at the University of Lyon, has developed a device the size of a microchip that can be used to create cell aggregates. This device employs electric fields to precisely control both the number and behavior of the cells used to form the aggregates. This study was recently published in the journal  Electrophoresis .