Updates by our µBone Project 14: “Bone osteotropism: Influence of confinement and mechanical properties of the seeds in the selection of the soil”

Today we are proud to share the latest updates by our µBone Project 14 led by Dr. Aldo Leal-Egana PhD in Heidelberg.

Invention patent: During 2025, an invention patent was presented, with the name: “High throughput screening platform for detecting the activity and viability of cells confined in 3D”. This invention consists in a new strategy to determine the viability and was invented by Aldo Leal-Egaña (leading inventor), Mohammadreza Taale, Niklas Schwegler, Christine Selhuber-Unkel, Eva Blasco and Franziska Thomas.

Research stay Yasmin Antonelli: During the end of march (2025), Yasmin Antonelli performed a collaborative research project at the laboratory directed by Prof. Felix Engel, (PI of our µBone Project 8). Thus, during 3 days Yasmin Antonelli and Dr. Arwin Groenewoud, Postdoc of Prof. Engel, studied the invasion of cancer cells cultured on 2D and in 3D milieus, into the endothelial tissues of zebrafish.

Course Cell culture in 3D: “Theory and Praxis”: During the last week of January (2025) Dr. Aldo Leal-Egaña organized and performed a course in cell culture in 3D. This activity was carried out in Chile, in a collaboration with the Universidad Católica de Valparaíso and the Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María. This activity accounted the participation of 43 students, who arrived from multiple cities from Chile.
Presentation of the research in Artificial Tumors in Biovaria: Between the 28^th and 29^th of April, Dr. Aldo Leal-Egaña presented the research in Artificial Tumors in BioVaria (https://www.biovaria.org). This meeting aimed to promote a strong exchange between scholars and companies attracted by the innovation and new ideas in life-science.
Research stay of Yasmin Antonelli in Strasbourg, France: During the last steps of her PhD thesis, Yasmin Antonelli is performing in vivo studies, at the Institut de cancérologie Strasbourg Europe (ICANS, France). She is currently working at the Nanotranslational Laboratory, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Alexandre Detappe. (https://www.detappelab.com/team).