Lab Chip Replaces Animal Testing in Cancer Research

Cancer researchers just took a giant leap toward retiring laboratory animals while making treatments more effective for humans.

A team led by HonorHealth Research Institute and the University of Arizona developed ASTEROIDS, a tiny 3D chip platform that recreates how tumors behave inside the human body. The technology mimics the complex tumor environment so well that scientists can test treatments without using animals at all.

The chip grows actual human cells in three dimensions, allowing them to communicate and interact just like they would inside a living person. When researchers tested simulated radiation treatment for lung cancer, the chip accurately predicted how human tumors would respond.

"We can be more precise and accurate than we've been," said Dr. Frederic Zenhausern, the study's senior author and professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. The findings were published in the journal iScience.

The technology works for any solid tumor, not just lung cancer. It maintains living cells for extended periods and enables researchers to watch tumor-immune system interactions in real time.

The Ripple Effect

This breakthrough arrives at the perfect moment. The FDA Modernization Act 2.0 actively encourages alternatives to animal testing for drug development, pushing for methods that better reflect human biology.

Japan's Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company is already partnering to commercialize ASTEROIDS, which means cancer research labs worldwide could adopt this technology soon. More human-relevant testing means treatments that work better when they reach actual patients.

Previous cancer research often failed because drugs that worked in mice didn't work the same way in humans. This chip solves that problem by using human cells from the start, capturing the mechanical forces and biochemical signals that drive how tumors grow, spread, and respond to treatment.

The platform supports long-term cell survival and maintains the integrity of tissue barriers, creating what scientists call a "unique biological landscape" that closely mirrors what happens inside our bodies. Researchers can now observe cell-to-cell communication and watch how immune cells interact with tumors in ways that were previously impossible to study outside a living organism.

The technology represents a win for both medical progress and animal welfare, delivering more accurate results while eliminating the need for testing on living creatures.