“Reshaping Preclinical Research Through 3D Cell Models” – Podcast Interview with Catarina Brito
"What if the failure rate in clinical trials is not about picking the wrong drug candidates, but about testing them in the wrong models?"
In a recent interview on the Smart Biotech Scientist Podcast with David Brühlmann, Catarina Brito (Head of the Advanced Cell Models Lab at iBET and Principal Investigator at ITQB-NOVA), sets out to share how 3D cell models are reshaping preclinical research.
While 2D cell cultures have long supported drug discovery, they fail to capture critical aspects of human biology.
Transitioning from 2D systems to bioreactor-based models is not just a matter of increasing volume. It fundamentally alters the biological context, influencing how cells behave, interact, and respond – explains Catarina Brito.
”(…) Cells are social entities. They sense each other, remodel their microenvironment, and rewire their signalling cascades. We need to respect biology as a primary design input.”
To address these limitations, Catarina and her team have developed neural, liver, and tumor 3D models that capture multicellular complexity and microenvironmental cues absent in 2D systems. These models can then support both disease study and the prediction of therapeutic responses.
Catarina also explores how integrating multi-omics and spatial data can feed artificial intelligence (AI)-driven approaches, providing a more accurate representation of human biology and pathophysiology.
She highlights the importance of developing digital twins of these cellular models and how it benchmarks against patient data. A future step she considers critical for advancing precision medicine on a global scale.
Finally, Catarina underscores iBET’s long-standing collaborations with international pharma companies, which helped translate industry-driven needs into models compatible with drug development workflows.
“These collaborations help us put the models in the real world”, Catarina Brito emphasized.
Listen to the full episode here and learn more about how advanced 3D human cell models are helping reshape drug development pipelines.
