Project title: Functional liquid biopsies for the detection and monitoring of cancer (FLUID-C)

Project No.: OSI_PIP_BioPhoT-2025/1-0032

Period: 1 October 2025 – 30 September 2025

Project costs: 200 000,00

Principal Investigator: Dr. biol. Aija Linē

Project summary:

A substantial number of studies demonstrate that cancer-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) promote cancer development by triggering various intracellular signal transduction pathways in recipient cells. Here, we propose to develop a conceptually novel liquid biopsy for the detection and monitoring of cancer based on assessing the functional impact of plasma EVs on the gene expression of recipient cells. In this one-year project, we aim to establish proof of concept for this technology in the context of breast cancer (BC).

 The key components of the proposed technology are recipient cells that respond to cancer-derived EV signals with robust and reproducible changes in the expression of specific genes. Hence, the main R&D objectives of the FLUID-C project are to engineer tumour-derived fibroblast cell lines to serve as EV-responsive biosensors and to identify gene expression signatures specifically induced by plasma EVs from BC patients, but not by those from healthy individuals.

 Key commercialisation activities will include the development of an intellectual property (IP) management strategy, a detailed commercialisation roadmap, the identification of potential industry partners, and targeted communication efforts. We anticipate that the FLUID-C will deliver proof of concept for cancer detection through the assessment of EV-inducible genes in biosensor cells, thereby advancing the technology to TRL3, and establish a clear pathway toward market entry.

Information published 01.10.2025.