Immune System Model & Precision Medicine
- Researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC,in collaboration with the University of Virginia,have engineered a model of supportive tissue found in lymph nodes.
- published in APL Bioengineering, the research focuses on creating a bioengineered model that accurately mimics how lymph nodes function, offering scientists a valuable tool for studying immune responses...
- The model recreates aspects of the human lymph node surroundings,including fluid flow and cellular interactions,to study immune behavior outside the body.
Virginia Tech researchers have developed a groundbreaking “lymph node-on-a-chip” model, revolutionizing immune system research adn offering new avenues for precision medicine. This bioengineered tissue replicates the complex environment of human lymph nodes, allowing scientists to study immune responses and test treatments with unprecedented accuracy. The model, which could lower research costs compared to traditional methods, recreates crucial aspects like fluid flow and cellular interactions to study immune behavior outside the body. Jennifer Munson, a professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, highlights the model’s potential for studying cancer metastasis, anti-tumor immunity, and vaccine efficacy.This advancement published via News Directory 3 provides a powerful tool for personalizing patient care and developing more effective disease-fighting strategies.Discover what this means for the future of healthcare.
Lymph Node-on-a-Chip enhances Immune System,Precision Medicine Research
Updated June 12,2025
Researchers at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC,in collaboration with the University of Virginia,have engineered a model of supportive tissue found in lymph nodes. This “lymph node-on-a-chip” aims to replicate the dynamic fluid flow and cellular interactions crucial to the human immune system.
published in APL Bioengineering, the research focuses on creating a bioengineered model that accurately mimics how lymph nodes function, offering scientists a valuable tool for studying immune responses and testing new treatments outside the human body. This engineered lymph node could reduce biomedical experiment costs compared to mouse models and provide more accurate results for human health research.
The model recreates aspects of the human lymph node surroundings,including fluid flow and cellular interactions,to study immune behavior outside the body. This approach may also personalize care for individual patients and develop safer, more effective strategies to boost the immune system across various diseases.
Jennifer Munson, a professor and director of the institute’s Cancer Research Center, said cancer metastasis is a key area of study, given lymph nodes’ role in tumor spread. Her research also explores anti-tumor immunity, vaccine testing, viral infections, and autoimmune disorders. Munson’s work focuses on the stroma, where stromal cells like fibroblastic reticular and endothelial cells provide structure and influence immune responses.
The lymph node stroma model allows for testing complex fluid flow and T cell retention, which are vital for immune system support. The team modeled environments with and without inflammation,finding that inflammation tended to trap cells as fluid flow increased.
“Cancer metastasis is an obvious area as lymph nodes are a major site of tumor spread,” said professor Jennifer Munson, the paper’s author.
What’s next
The engineered tissue models represent a significant step toward understanding disease progression and improving preclinical drug screening, potentially leading to more effective and personalized treatments.