Research Information System
Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, vol.462, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
Early diagnosis and timely intervention of cancer are essential to improve patient survival; however, many cancers are still detected at advanced stages with limited therapeutic options. The tumor microenvironment (TME), characterized by its complex architecture and dynamic interactions between cancer cells and the surrounding milieu, plays a decisive role in understanding tumor progression, therapeutic response, and prognosis. Accurately mimicking the TME in vitro remains a challenge for developing diagnostic strategies. Herein, we presented an integrated approach that recapitulates the breast cancer microenvironment using a microfluidic platform, while simultaneously investigating the role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) as critical biomarkers of tumor progression. Complementary computational analyses—comprising density functional theory, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations—were performed to elucidate the binding behavior of selected ligands to CD63, a key EV-associated marker in breast cancer. To overcome the instability inherent to conventional immunoassays, we developed EV-imprinted nanoparticles that preserve the molecular fingerprint of target EVs. The EV-imprinted nanoparticles were coupled with optical biosensors to enable precise, selective, and real-time detection of EVs. This integrated experimental–computational strategy not only enhances the understanding of EV-mediated cancer signaling but also provides a foundation for developing cost-effective, rapid, and sensitive biosensing platforms for early cancer diagnosis.