Engineers and cancer researchers develop tunable biomaterials to treat lymphedema
The lymphatic system plays a vital role in many health issues, such as heart disease, neurodegenerative conditions, inflammation, metabolic disorders, cancer, and lymphedema. Despite its importance, scientists still lack many details about how the lymphatic system grows and functions, and this prohibits the development of effective treatments.
Controlling the growth of new lymphatic vessels, either in the body or through lab-grown methods, could be a promising long-term treatment for various diseases connected to the lymphatic system.
In a study forthcoming in Communications Biology, bioengineers and cancer researchers at the University of Notre Dame have discovered a new way to grow lymphatic vessels—small channels that help move fluid in the body—in a lab setting. This could be helpful for treating diseases like cardiovascular problems and lymphedema, a swelling, usually in the arms or legs, caused by a buildup of lymph fluid.
“We used tunable biomaterials to promote lymphatic regeneration, which can be used to treat lymphedema in children with rare diseases, as well as patients with breast cancer,” said Donny Hanjaya-Putra, assistant professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering. “This new method may help researchers study lymphatic diseases more effectively and could someday enable breakthrough approaches to treat lymphedema.”
Scientists used a gel made from hyaluronic acid—a natural substance found in the body—to create a controlled environment where human adult stem cells can form these vessels. By adjusting the gel’s stiffness and adding growth molecules, they managed to make the cells assemble into vessels on their own in just a few days.
These lab-grown vessels could survive for weeks in the lab and even successfully integrated when implanted in an animal model that mimics the conditions of patients with breast cancer.
This new hydrogel system offers a flexible and efficient way to study lymphatic vessel growth without relying on complex and costly animal models. Instead of using many mice for testing responses to growth factors or drugs, researchers can make multiple hydrogel samples with precise amounts of these substances to quickly see their effects.
“We are very eager to work with companies who are interested in using these lab-grown lymphatic vessels in their drug screening pipeline, as well as with local community hospitals, who are excited to translate this relatively simple method as a surgical alternative for patients with lymphedema,” said Hanjaya-Putra.
Laura Alderfer and Sanjoy Saha, former and current Ph.D. students in Hanjaya-Putra’s lab, served as the paper’s first authors. Notre Dame researcher Laurie Littlepage, Campbell Family Associate Professor of Cancer Research in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, led the chemical synthesis and animal aspects of the study. This research was supported by a Career Development Award from the American Heart Association, National Science Foundation, and National Institutes of Health as well as the Harper Cancer Research Institute.
Latest Research
- A game, not a grind: Notre Dame students develop mobile app to make math funStudents often say that math is their least favorite subject—too abstract, too much about memorizing rules and formulae, and, frankly, not much fun. That’s why two Notre Dame students have created an educational, gamified math app, Pi-Squared. Their mobile phone app, designed for students aged 15-18, prepares users for standardized math exams, while also appealing to those who enjoy math puzzles.
- ‘Who the messenger is matters’: Lakshmi Iyer shows that cultural leaders can positively influence population growthFertility rates across the world have been steadily dropping since 1950. Pinpointing the reasons is at the heart of Lakshmi Iyer's work as a professor of economics and global affairs. Her research exemplifies the kind of population-level research that Notre Dame Population Analytics (ND Pop), a new research initiative at the University, seeks to foster.
- ND Founders Profile #164: Turning waste into opportunity — Ben Moore’s mission to reduce food waste with The Ugly CompanyAfter being discharged from the Army due to an injury, Ben Moore returned to his family’s farm in California’s San Joaquin Valley, a region that produces nearly 80 percent of the fruit and nuts consumed in the United States. However, when his father, a fourth-generation farmer, explained there was…
- American studies professor wins Russell Sage Foundation grant for research on untold Southeast Asian refugee stories…
- Lee Gettler, professor of anthropology, elected fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of ScienceOn Thursday, March 27, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) announced the 2024 class of AAAS Fellows including Lee Gettler, the Rev. John A. O’Brien College Professor of Anthropology in the College of Arts and Letters at the University of Notre Dame.
- Rare disease drug nitisinone makes human blood deadly to mosquitoesA study in Science Translational Medicine found when patients take the drug nitisinone, their blood becomes deadly to mosquitoes.
