T-Sense-3D: A new analytical tool in drug development?

Precise temperature measurement in 3D Tissue Models as an alternative to animal testing

In the development of new drugs or the toxicological assessment of chemicals, animal testing can be reduced by activity testing on cell cultures in the laboratory as an alternative. A new trend in experimental biomedicine is to deploy three-dimensional tissue models instead of two-dimensional cell layers, since they reflect condictions in a living organism more realistically. To monitor the cells' metabolic activity, analytical methods for tracking and quantifying their status throughout an activity test are needed. Optical methods often reach their limits here, as visible light has only a very limited penetration depth in tissues.

Multiwell-Plate for drug development alternatives without animal testing
© Fraunhofer EMFT | Bernd Müller
Multiwell-Plate with integrated interdigital electrodes for monitoring cell cultures

In the "T-Sense-3D" project, highly precise temperature measurements will be deployed for monitoring cellular metabolism and its changes. Temperature is considered the most comprehensive parameter for observing cellular metabolism, as only living, metabolically active cells produce heat. Any external influence on the cells leads to changes in metabolism and, consequently, changes in temperature, which are usually only a few degrees Celsius. New analytical methods are necessary for such precise temperature measurement.

Precise Temperature Measurement with Novel Materials

As part of the project, novel materials made from tailored polymer chains and nanoparticle additives are being researched for implementation. These materials change their electrical resistance by several orders of magnitude within a very small temperature window. Measuring the electrical resistance thus allows for highly precise temperature measurement. In the course of the project, these temperature sensors will be integrated into cell culture vessels using mass production methods (roll-to-roll) to enable high-throughput drug testing. To establish this form of temperature measurement on 3D tissue models in the market, the research of customized measurement electronics and software is also part of the project, as well as demonstrating the functionality of the entire system in biological model studies.

New Paths for Biomedical Research

By solving an ambitious challenge in the field of material science, the three-year project aims to close a frequently lamented technological gap: the quantitative investigation of 3D tissue models in real-time and with medium throughput. This will open new avenues not only in drug development but across all of biomedicine.

The project consortium consists of the companies FEW Chemicals GmbH, ibidi GmbH, and nanoAnalytics GmbH, the Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Microsystems and Solid-State Technologies EMFT, and the Technical University of Munich.

The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

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Contact us to learn more about the possibilities of cell-based sensing and its application for drug research without animal testing!

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