Sechenov University: Brain-on-a-chip to study glioblastoma therapy

Main article: Brain cancer

2025: Brain-on-a-Chip System Development

Scientists at Sechenov University have developed a brain-on-a-chip microfluidic system to investigate a new approach to glioblastoma therapy - one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer. The combination of temozolomide and wireless optostimulation made it possible to achieve almost complete destruction of tumor cells in laboratory samples. If further studies are as successful, in the future, doctors will receive a tool to combat this dangerous disease. The work is carried out with the support of the RSF grant No. 24-79-00271. The university announced this on July 28, 2025.

Glioblastoma remains one of the most difficult forms of tumors to treat: it is characterized by rapid growth and resistance to existing therapies. Complete surgical removal is often impossible due to the risk of damage to vital brain structures, and chemotherapy is far from always effective enough. Therefore, new approaches that can improve the effectiveness of therapy without additional risks to the patient are especially relevant.

Researchers from the Institute of Bionic Technologies and Engineering, together with the experimental biotherapy group of the Institute of Regenerative Medicine, led by leading researcher Ilya Ulasov, have developed a microfluidic platform that simulates blood flow in the brain and supports the vital activity of glioblastoma cells. Previously, scientists showed that an organic semiconductor device under the influence of red light stimulates the activity of ion channels in cells. New experiments have proven that a similar effect is observed in glioblastoma cells - this increases the penetration of temozolomide, one of the key drugs for the treatment of this tumor.

Ion channels work like pumps - they pull molecules into the cell. Temozolomid needs to get into the nucleus to destroy the cancer cell. Red light increases the opening and closing of channels, the concentration of the drug in the cell grows faster - and the cell dies. In experiments, we managed to destroy up to 95-98% of glioblastoma cells - this is five times more than in control samples without stimulation, - said Alexander Markov, associate professor at the Institute of Bionic Technologies and Engineering, head of the study.

It is a brain-on-chip system that uses wireless optoelectronic stimulation. It does not require electrodes or inductive coils that can cause heating and damage to cells, making the technology less invasive and safer.

Our experiments have shown that combining therapy with wireless stimulation enhances the drug's effect and helps it penetrate deeper into cells. For July 2028, we are moving on to work with primary cultures and organotypic tissue sections - models closer to real brain tissue. In particular, preliminary results on the primary aggressive culture obtained from a patient with glioblastoma also demonstrated an increase in the therapeutic effect, "said Anna Konstantinova, a student at the Institute of Pharmacy, co-author of the study.

Further testing of the combined therapy method in cell models of glioblastoma will assess the advantages of this technology in the therapy of malignant glioblastoma in conditions of increased resistance of tumors to chemotherapy, added Victoria Khoruzhaya, a student at the Institute of Pharmacy, also a co-author of the study.

The brain-on-a-chip platform itself is planned to be used in the future to study other types of brain tumors. Clinical application, however, is still a long way off - scientists have to solve a number of technical problems and go through a long test path.