Urbana Campus Research Calendar (OVCRI)

A Window into Metastasis: Visualizing Ovarian Cancer Spread in a Bioengineered Peritoneal Cavity-on-a-Chip

Abstract: Peritoneal metastasis is a critical event in the progression of ovarian, gastric, colorectal, and pancreatic cancer, all of which frequently spread to the peritoneum. Patient prognosis significantly worsens as metastatic lesions develop, with survival dropping to only a few months for some individuals. Within the abdominal cavity is the peritoneal cavity, a fluid-filled potential space lined by mesothelial cells, where circulating tumor cells can transit through peritoneal fluid and rapidly spread. However, existing in vitro models oversimplify the peritoneal microenvironment, and in vivo models lack the resolution to capture these dynamic processes. To address these challenges, we developed a biomimetic 3D peritoneal cavity-on-a-chip that replicates key features of the peritoneal microenvironment. Bioengineered peritoneal cavities were generated by forming a mesothelial cell-lined cavity within a 3D collagen matrix housed in a millifluidic chamber. To investigate ovarian cancer spread, we injected ovarian cancer cells into the cavity lumen and applied flow to simulate dissemination. In parallel, we designed a 3D printed platform that enables streamlined fabrication of organ-on-a-chip devices in an arrayed format. This approach supports long-term culture and live-cell imaging, allowing real-time monitoring of cancer-mesothelial cell adhesion, invasion of the peritoneal lining, and formation of metastatic foci. By bridging the gap between oversimplified in vitro models and in vivo limitations, this platform offers a scalable, low-cost solution for studying peritoneal metastasis across diverse cancers. The versatile peritoneal cavity-on-a-chip model enables mechanistic studies of cancer progression, therapeutic target identification, and treatment screening to improve patient outcomes.

By Rana Abbed, Department of Bioengineering, Faculty Advisor: Susan Leggett

Gram Typing Bacteria Panels in Whole Blood Using a Biphasic Duplex-LAMP Assay

Abstract: Timely identification of bacteria in bloodstream infections is critical for guiding appropriate antibiotic treatment. However, current clinical workflows entail blood culture (1–5 days), followed by gram staining, PCR, and antibiotic susceptibility testing. These steps delay actionable results, often leading clinicians to prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics without results from the above tests, contributing to the rising threat of antimicrobial resistance. Specifically, rapid information of even presence of gram-positive and/or gram-negative bacteria would help clinicians choose a specific antibiotic regiment after bacteriaemia is suspected. Here, we developed a rapid, culture-free method that identifies bacterial gram type from whole blood at a sensitivity of 1-5 CFU/L within 1.5 h. The assay features a duplex probe-based Detection of Amplification by Release of Quenching (DARQ) Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) system targeting seven of the most common bloodstream pathogens in blood cultures in published hospital reports. The two DARQ probes distinguish a panel of four of the most common gram-negative bacteria (E. coli, S. marcescens, P. mirabilis, K. pneumoniae) from three of the most common gram-positive bacteria (Methicillin-susceptible S. aureus, Methicillin-resistant S. aureus, S. epidermidis). Coupled with our “biphasic” sample preparation technique reported earlier (4 μL sample volume), the assay eliminates the need for blood culture, extraction & purification, provides gram type information, all the while achieving 1–5 CFU/μL sensitivity.

By Katie Koprowski, Department of Bioengineering, Faculty Advisor: Rashid Bashir