Modeling, Design, and Implementation of a 3D in vivo Molecular Communication System

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Thiha Aung; Professorin Dr. Silke Härteis; Dr.-Ing. Maximilian Schäfer
• Subject Area: Communication Technology and Networks, High-Frequency Technology and Photonic Systems, Signal Processing and Machine Learning for Information Technology
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 556119139

Synthetic Molecular Communications (MC) is an emerging interdisciplinary research field at the intersection of life sciences and engineering. MC naturally occurs in biological systems and is envisioned to enable communication between synthetic nanomachines and biological entities. In recent years, numerous potential applications of MC have been identified across various sectors, including industry, agriculture, environmental monitoring, and medicine. In the medical sector, MC is poised to have a profound impact, driving innovation in long-term health monitoring, disease detection, and patient-specific treatment (‘personalized medicine’). The amalgamation of the envisioned medical applications of MC has given rise to the concept of the Internet of BioNanoThings (IoBNT), which extends beyond conventional health monitoring by establishing in-body MC networks that connect organs and cells to the Internet, enabling real-time monitoring and targeted delivery of drugs for personalized therapy. Despite the recent increase of experimental work in MC, most research remains theoretical. Bridging the gap between theoretical concepts and their practical application is a significant challenge. In the medical sector, MC often focuses on applications inside the body, necessitating the validation of concepts and technologies in realistic experimental environments. However, many promising MC technologies are highly invasive and disruptive, making animal or human testing currently nearly impossible. In this interdisciplinary project, we aim to address this challenge by developing the world's first 3D in vivo MC testbed based on the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model. The CAM is formed in fertilized chicken eggs as an extraembryonic membrane that functions as a respiratory organ due to its high vascularity. Human cells or tissues can be engrafted onto the CAM and the effect of, e.g., potential therapeutics can be monitored. The CAM model does not require approval from animal research ethics committees, and is aligned with the 3R principles of replacement, reduction, and refinement. As the CAM represents a simple and accessible in vivo model of the cardiovascular system including blood circulation and organs in the chick embryo, the overarching goal of this project is to establish the CAM model as a versatile and realistic testbed for validating and optimizing MC-based technologies. The project's outcomes will include (i) the development of communication-theoretical models for transmission, propagation, and reception mechanisms within the CAM, (ii) the creation of modulation and control algorithms for precise particle injection and detection within the CAM, (iii) the establishment of the world's first in vivo MC testbed based on the CAM model including the use of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumor tissue engrafted onto the CAM as a realistic MC receiver model, and (iv) the development of a comprehensive tutorial for setting up CAM-based MC testbeds.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants