New FIRST TEAM FENG Project Led by Dr. Patrycja Baranowska

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Eng. Patrycja Baranowska has been awarded funding under the FIRST TEAM FENG programme of the Foundation for Polish Science (FNP) for the project:

“A tissue-on-chip model to investigate the relationship between pancreatic cancer and metabolic diseases – a step towards more effective diagnostics and therapy.”

The overarching goal of the project is to develop an advanced, miniaturized model of human tissues that will help researchers better understand the complex relationship between pancreatic cancer and diabetes.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive and deadly cancers, and its development is closely associated with metabolic disorders. Importantly, this relationship is bidirectional: impaired glucose metabolism may increase the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, while a growing pancreatic tumor can itself contribute to the development of secondary diabetes.

Until now, researchers have lacked advanced experimental tools capable of reproducing and investigating these processes under conditions that closely resemble the human body.

The project will address this challenge using tissue-on-chip technology, which enables three-dimensional, living tissues to be cultured in miniaturized systems designed to mimic the natural microenvironment of human organs. The newly developed platform will combine pancreatic tumor tissue with a model of pancreatic islets, allowing researchers to precisely investigate the biological “dialogue” between cancer and metabolic dysfunction.

The project also contributes to the global shift towards reducing the use of animal models in biomedical research by developing advanced and physiologically relevant laboratory alternatives. The resulting tissue-on-chip system is expected to provide a unique research platform with significant potential for advancing our understanding of pancreatic cancer and supporting the development of improved diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.