$10.8M Cancer Engineering Initiative Pushes Frontiers

TTHE INAUGURAL CANCER

Engineering Symposium, held in March, brought together acclaimed researchers for the launch of the UA Cancer Engineering Initiative.

Through the state of Arizona’s New Economy Initiative, the UA was awarded $10.8 million for interdisciplinary research to advance understanding of cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment. David W. Hahn, Craig M. Berge Dean of the College of Engineering, and Joann Sweasy, Nancy C. and Craig M. Berge Endowed Chair for the Director of the Cancer Center, initially shared a vision for the program and gained strong support from leaders across the university.

Cancer Engineering: ‘Pushing Frontiers’

Seven experts traveled from out of state to share knowledge with the UA faculty who will merge engineering and cancer research. The work involves identifying how cancer cells in diverse environments mimicking human tissues respond to imaging methods, drugs, blood flow conditions and mechanical stresses. 3D printing is key to formulating tissue models that allow for the study of cancer initiation, growth, metastasis and response to therapies.

Many of the standard cancer treatments currently in use are not tailored for specific patients or even the exact type of cancer present.

“These treatments often do a good job of killing select populations of cancer cells sensitive to the treatment,” said Arthur Gmitro, professor and former head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and a member of the initiative’s working group. “But, often, there are remaining cancer cells that have evolved to be less sensitive to that kind of treatment.”

With 3D-printed growth environments, referred to as biomimetic because they mimic human tissue, engineers can help develop precision treatments. Researchers can place cancer cells from a patient into these environments to test the efficacy of treatments specific to those cells, thereby developing precision treatment strategies, Gmitro said.

Engineers can also create 3D models of the cancers themselves, accelerating understanding of diagnostic and prevention methods. Knowledge acquisition in any one area feeds other areas.

Advances in polymer development and 3D-printing technology over the last decade have made cancer research collaboration a promising engineering focus area. Additionally, said Hahn, the mechanics of tumors and their environments fall into the realm of engineering science. However, cancer engineering is a novel area of study with much untapped potential.

“We’re pushing the frontiers of what’s going on. There are some pockets of activity around the country, but this is new,” Hahn said.

Leaders from the UA Cancer Center and the College of Engineering plan to hire three to five additional researchers to focus on the initiative. The project also will involve students at all levels and from multiple disciplines in cancer research.

Relying on the expertise of faculty across the university and other researchers who will be recruited thanks to initiative funding, the effort is a big and bold one, said Hahn and Sweasy.

“The symposium was an incredible success and a good indication of where we’re headed with this collaboration. I have no doubt that biologists and engineers will make a critical difference in the prevention and treatment of cancer,” Sweasy said. “And I think this is a model for how we’ll see science tackling the greatest problems we face. It gives reason for incredible hope about what can be accomplished when we work together.”

TTHE UA CONTINUES to to be a major player in developing hypersonic technologies, designed to fly at five times the speed of sound and faster. Two recent grants totaling more than $5.5 million are focused on developing improved guidance, navigation and control systems for hypersonic vehicles and new alloys for 3D-printing the vehicle components.

$4.5M for AI-Powered Guidance and Navigation Systems

Roberto Furfaro, professor of systems and industrial engineering, received $4.5 million to lead the development of improved guidance, navigation and control systems for autonomous vehicles operating at hypersonic speeds. The three-year proposed research is sponsored by the Joint Hypersonic Transition Office through the University Consortium for Applied Hypersonics.