Development and validation of a Microfluidic Platform for In Vitro Studies on Pancreatic Cancer and Drug Response

Microfluidics is the science that studies fluid streams at the micrometer scale. It enables precise control of fluid flow and the generation of well-defined microenvironments, supporting advanced biomedical applications such as in vitro tissue models and controlled chemical gradients. The design of microfluidic platforms capable of generating concentration gradients is increasingly in demand, as gradients play a fundamental role in many biological processes. Microfluidics offers an innovative solution for achieving efficient, accurate, and simple drug concentration gradient generation. These microfluidic platforms are widely used in cancer research, where developing effective cancer treatments is essential. They support the development of new drugs and the effective use of approved ones, through strategies such as dose modulation and combinations, aiming to maximize therapeutic efficacy. This work presents the design, the production and validation of an innovative microfluidic platform for studying pancreatic cancer and evaluating related pharmacological treatments. The main aim is to develop an in vitro drug-testing model that integrates three-dimensional cell culture systems such as spheroids with microfluidics to recreate an improved tumor microenvironment and overcome the limitations of conventional 2D models. To this end, the platform consists of two main layers: a microfluidic device designed to generate controlled gradients of nutrients and drugs, and a microwells layer for pancreatic tumor spheroids placement. Pancreatic tumor spheroids were generated from PANC-1 cells to model pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Finally, the effect of the anticancer drug doxorubicin on the spheroids was investigated by exposing them to multiple doxorubicin concentrations delivered through the microfluidic chip, followed by cell viability assessment, demonstrating the platform’s potential for preclinical drug testing.