The partners of the BOTS project, supported by the Interreg Atlantic Area Programme, met on March 6, 2026, at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Porto for their annual in-person meeting. Representatives from universities and research centres shared significant progress, particularly in the development of hybrid hydrogels that more closely replicate the natural environment of human cells. These innovations have the potential to enhance the quality of breast cancer research and contribute to more personalised treatment approaches.
The new marine-derived hydrogels, designed to replace traditional laboratory materials, are being developed through a collaboration between the chemistry teams at the University of Bordeaux and the University of Pau and Pays de l’Adour. In parallel, cell culture methods have been optimised, resulting in more reliable, reproducible, and higher-quality organoid cultures.
Researchers are now preparing to test these hybrid hydrogels on both established cell lines and tumour samples from patients as soon as the materials are ready. The objective is to deliver high-performance solutions by summer 2026 and generate promising results before the project concludes.
The strong collaborative momentum and recent scientific advances point toward impactful outcomes, with significant potential benefits for both research and patient care.
