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The SMART Tumor-On-Chip (SMART-ToC) platform is a collaborative project led by the University of Twente, with contributions from Radboud University Medical Center, Saxion University of Applied Sciences, and various societal and industrial partners. The initiative, supported by a 1.1 million euro grant from the NWO program for Emerging Key Enabling Technologies (KIC-KET), aims to develop an advanced breast cancer model in a miniaturized on-chip format for testing immunotherapies.
The initiative addresses the challenges posed by the heterogeneity of tumor tissues. Current in vitro and in vivo tumor models lack proper incorporation of spatio-temporal variations, limiting their translational value. To overcome this, the SMART-ToC project aims to create a three-dimensional model that replicates and measures crucial tumor microenvironment factors embedded in innovative, customizable, and sensor-rich matrices, allowing the study of the interplay between the microenvironment and therapeutic responses and providing a trajectory towards personalized medicine.
The study will be conducted by a transdisciplinary team, led by Séverine Le Gac (University of Twente). Radboud University Medical Center's involvement in the project includes contributions from co-applicant Wouter Verdurmen (Department of Medical BioSciences), Anja Timmer-Bonte (Department of Medical Oncology), and the Patient Advisory Board (PAB) - Women’s cancer. Verdurmen leads the validation workpackage for (immuno)therapeutic applications, employing viral vector-based approaches and antibody-drug conjugates provided by the company Synaffix. Timmer-Bonte and the PAB contribute via their clinician and patient perspective, respectively. The project pursues an animal-free experimental approach and includes Stichting Proefdiervrij as a co-funder and the Institute for Human Organ and Disease Model Technologies (hDMT) as a partner.
Funding program
The KIC emerging key enabling technologies program provides space for pioneering public private partnership (PPP) research around emerging key enabling technologies, focused on exploration and development of innovative ideas. Nine research projects were funded by NWO in the latest round.
Read more on the NWO website.
