(Press-News.org) A research team led by the Faculty of Dentistry at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has developed a novel vascularised tumour model using a non-surgical injectable hydrogel system. This innovative approach provides a powerful new platform for researching cancer and testing immune cell therapies. The breakthrough has been published in Advanced Composites and Hybrid Materials, representing a significant advancement in modelling the complex nature of tumours for oncology.
This study, led by Professor Sang Jin Lee, Assistant Professor in Biofunctional Materials from the Faculty of Dentistry, in collaboration with Professor Rio Ryohichi Sugimura, Assistant Professor from the School of Biomedical Sciences in LKS Faculty of Medicine at HKU, has established a reliable model using a fully degradable, injectable, self-crosslinking hydrogel composed of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCTS) and oxidized hyaluronic acid (oHA) to encapsulate high-density tumour cells.
This model effectively supports the spontaneous formation of solid tumours with functional host-derived vasculature in mice. Unlike conventional inoculation techniques, this approach precisely localises tumour cells at the injection site, enabling the development of tumour clusters free from biomaterial residues, while fostering vascular networks that closely mimic the natural tumour microenvironment.
"The lack of reliable vascularised tumour models has long been a bottleneck in cancer research," emphasised Prof. Sang Jin Lee. "Our platform not only faithfully recaptures the tumour microenvironment but, more importantly, provides a dependable tool for immune cell therapy research. This is particularly significant for advancing treatments for malignancies."
The model enables effective delivery and infiltration of immune cells. Researchers demonstrated that human macrophages injected via the tail vein successfully homed in on and adhered to the tumour tissue created by the model, showcasing its direct application for developing and testing cell-based immunotherapies.
Professor Lee further noted, "This model will serve as a vital conduit for the research and development of cell therapies to treat various cancers, such as oral cancer, in the near future, offering new possibilities for improving patient outcomes."
The study’s findings have profound implications for cancer research, providing a novel approach to modelling tumours and testing therapeutic strategies. Professor Lee and his team believe this platform will accelerate the development of effective immune cell therapies, ultimately improving outcomes for cancer patients in Hong Kong.
Link to research: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42114-025-01429-4
For media enquiries, please contact:
https://facdent.hku.hk/people/professoriate-staff/profile/dentsj
Professor Sang Jin Lee
Assistant Professor in Biofunctional Materials
Applied Oral Sciences and Community Dental Care
HKU Faculty of Dentistry
Email: dentsj@hku.hk
Tel: (852) 2859-0568
END
HKU researchers develop innovative vascularized tumor model to advance cancer immunotherapy
2025-11-18
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Floating solar panels show promise, but environmental impacts vary by location, study finds
2025-11-18
Floating solar panels are emerging as a promising clean energy solution with environmental benefits, but a new study finds those effects vary significantly depending on where the systems are deployed.
Researchers from Oregon State University and the U.S. Geological Survey modeled the impact of floating solar photovoltaic systems on 11 reservoirs across six states. Their simulations showed that the systems consistently cooled surface waters and altered water temperatures at different layers within the reservoirs. However, the panels also introduced increased variability in habitat suitability for aquatic species.
“Different reservoirs are going to respond differently based ...
Molecule that could cause COVID clotting key to new treatments
2025-11-18
In a surprising discovery, a ‘sticky molecule’ that occurs naturally in our blood vessels could be both a culprit behind blood clots and organ failure during COVID and long COVID and the key to new treatments to counter COVID-related viruses.
Researchers say the molecule, called P-selectin, could turn the tide to develop a new generation of mRNA therapies to combat not just COVID variants, but also other viruses in the same family.
The study, co-led by the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney, was ...
Root canal treatment reduces heart disease and diabetes risk
2025-11-18
Successful root canal treatment could reduce inflammation linked to heart disease and improve levels of blood sugar and cholesterol.
In the first of its kind research, a clinical study by King’s College London tracked changes in blood chemistry following root canal treatment for a common dental infection (apical periodontitis). The infection can cause bacteria to enter the bloodstream and increase inflammation, associated with risks to cardiac health and reduced ability to control blood sugar levels.
Despite the link between the infection and wider health impacts, the association between successful root ...
The gold standard: Researchers end 20-year spin debate on gold surface with definitive, full-map quantum imaging
2025-11-18
Summary:
Researchers at the Institute for Molecular Science (IMS) have definitively resolved a two-decade-long controversy regarding the direction of electron spin on the surface of gold. Using a state-of-the-art Photoelectron Momentum Microscope (PMM) at the UVSOR synchrotron facility, the team captured complete two-dimensional snapshots of the Au(111) Shockley surface state, mapping both the electron's spin (its intrinsic magnetic property) and its orbital shape in a projection-based measurement. The experiment unambiguously confirmed the Rashba effect--where an electron's motion is coupled to its spin--by assigning a clockwise ...
ECMWF and European Partners win prestigious HPCwire Award for "Best Use Of AI Methods for Augmenting HPC Applications” – for AI innovation in weather and climate
2025-11-18
EMBARGO: Monday 17th November 2025 – 18:00 CT
ECMWF and European Partners win prestigious HPCwire Award for "Best Use Of AI Methods for Augmenting HPC Applications” – for AI Innovation in Weather and Climate
St. Louis, Missouri, 17th November 2025 - The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and several National Meteorological Services across Europe (AEMET, DMI, DWD, FMI, GeoSphere, KNMI, Meteo-France, MeteSwiss, MET No, RMI, SMHI and UKMO) have been honoured with the 2025 HPCwire Readers’ and Editors’ Choice Award for “Best Use of AI Methods for Augmenting HPC Applications”. ...
Unearthing the City of Seven Ravines
2025-11-18
The remains of an extensive Bronze Age settlement on the Kazakh Steppe that was likely once a major regional hub for large-scale bronze production more than 3,500 years ago, have been revealed by an international team of archaeologists co-led by researchers from UCL.
Published in Antiquity Project Gallery and co-led by Durham University and Kazakhstan’s Toraighyrov University, the paper presents the first detailed archaeological survey of Semiyarka—a vast, 140-hectare planned settlement and the ...
Ancient sediments reveal Earth’s hidden wildfire past
2025-11-18
An international team of scientists, including a senior researcher at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, has uncovered new evidence of ancient wildfires that reshapes our understanding of Earth’s turbulent Early Triassic epoch, about 250 million years ago.
The findings, reported in Communications Earth & Environment, published by Nature Portfolio under the title Wildfire, ecosystem and climate interactions in the Early Triassic, challenge the long-standing belief in a global “charcoal gap”, a time interval with little or no evidence of fire following the world’s ...
Child gun injury risk spikes when children leave school for the day
2025-11-17
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, November 17, 2025
Contact:
Jillian McKoy, jpmckoy@bu.edu
Michael Saunders, msaunder@bu.edu
##
In the United States, child firearm violence prevention focuses largely on school shootings, even though the majority of child gun injuries occur outside of schools. A new study led by Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) provides additional insight into this gun violence threat, showing that children’s risk of being shot rises as soon as the school day ends.
The risk of child firearm ...
Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Leanne Redman recruited to lead the Charles Perkins Centre at the University of Sydney
2025-11-17
Following an extensive worldwide search, Dr. Leanne Redman has been appointed Academic Director of the Charles Perkins Centre, the University of Sydney’s first and largest multidisciplinary research initiative.
A Professor of Clinical Science, Dr. Redman currently holds a number of positions at LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research Center including the LPFA Endowed Chair in Nutrition and Associate Executive Director ...
Social media sentiment can predict when people move during crises, improving humanitarian response
2025-11-17
Forced displacement has surged in recent years, fueling a global crisis. Over the past decade, the number of displaced people worldwide has nearly doubled, according to the United Nations’ refugee agency. In 2024 alone, one in 67 people fled their homes.
A new study co-authored by University of Notre Dame researcher Helge-Johannes Marahrens shows that analyzing social media posts can help experts predict when people will move during crises, supporting faster and more effective aid delivery. The study ...