How Cell Cultures are Revolutionizing Medical Research in NSW
The Non-Animal Technologies Network (NAT-Net) is at the forefront of a medical research revolution, pushing the boundaries of innovation in health and medical science. By advancing cutting-edge cell culture methods, NAT-Net is transforming how we understand and treat diseases, offering a more human-centric approach to drug development and safety testing.
A Historical Leap Forward in Cell Culture
The story of cell culture begins in 1906 with a groundbreaking experiment. Biologist Ross Granville Harrison at Johns Hopkins University successfully cultivated nerve cells from frogs in test tubes, a mixture of blood, saline, and agar. This marked the birth of tissue culture, a technique that would later become a cornerstone of modern medical research.
Moving Beyond 2D: The Rise of 3D Cell Cultures
Today, the traditional 2D cell cultures grown in a single layer on Petri dishes are being replaced by 3D cell cultures. These cultures are engineered to mimic human tissue structures, offering a more accurate representation of how cells behave in the body. This advancement is crucial for drug discovery, safety testing, and understanding complex diseases.
NAT-Net: Leading the Way in Non-Animal Technologies
Recognizing the need for a future-ready approach, the NSW Government invested $4.5 million in 2024 to establish NAT-Net. This collaborative network, co-founded by eight institutions across NSW, aims to reduce and replace the use of animals in research. NAT-Net is administered by the University of New South Wales and is supported by the Office for Health and Medical Research.
Reducing Animal Use, Enhancing Research
Associate Professor Adam Hill, a key figure in NAT-Net, emphasizes the ethical and practical benefits of non-animal models. As a Laboratory Head at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and Deputy Director of the Innovation Centre, Hill highlights the potential of cell cultures to enhance the predictive accuracy of human responses to new drug therapies.
Learning from Patient Stem Cells
Cell culture involves growing cells in a laboratory setting, often using human stem cells. These stem cells can replicate and differentiate into various cell types, making them invaluable for research. Patient cell samples, obtained from blood, cells, or skin, undergo differentiation to provide human cells for studies like Hill's.
Hill explains, "These cells must be collected and handled with approval from Human Research Ethics Committees. They enable us to work with cardiomyocytes, immune cells, and fibroblasts, creating a functionally mature representation of the human heart for disease modeling and drug screening."
Advancing Heart Disease Research
Hill's research focuses on atrial fibrillation, a condition affecting 46 million people worldwide. The annual cost to the Australian healthcare system is estimated at $881 million. NAT-Net's support has enabled Hill to develop more complex co-culture models and bioengineered tools, studying the mechanisms of atrial fibrillation.
Harnessing Technology for Large-Scale Cell Culturing
Advanced equipment plays a vital role in Hill's research. Robotic liquid handling platforms automate cell culture processes, while stirred tank bioreactors provide controlled environments for growing large volumes of cells. These technologies enable the creation of 3D engineered tissues and organoids, crucial for understanding heart function and disease.
NAT-Net's support and technological advancements are paving the way for a new era in medical research, offering a more ethical, accurate, and efficient approach to understanding and treating diseases.
