Bidding 2025 Farewell
As 2025 comes to a close, Lifeline® Cell Technology is reflecting on a year growth, collaboration, and continued innovation. The global community of researchers using our primary cells and cell culture media systems for their scientific research continues to grow, and this year also marked several exciting milestones for our team.
BioSurfaces Collaboration
One highlight was our new collaboration with BioSurfaces, a pioneering company specializing in Bio-Spun™ electrospun nanofiber technology. The customizable and highly porous Bio-Spun™ nanofiber scaffolds are designed to mimic the architecture and bioactivity of natural extracellular matrix (ECM) to support cell adhesion, function, and differentiation. When used together, the combination of Lifeline’s high-quality human primary cells and cell culture media with Bio-Spun™ scaffolds creates more physiologically relevant in vitro models that improve data quality, shorten timelines, and strengthen translational confidence.
| APPLICATIONS | WHY THE COMBO WORKS |
| RESPIRATORY MODELS | Culture airway cells at the air–liquid interface on Bio-Spun™ scaffolds for in vivo-like exposures |
| SKIN & WOUND MODELS | Seed keratinocytes on flat nanofiber scaffolds to reconstruct full-thickness skin barriers |
| BARRIER TESTING | Investigate drug permeation or pathogen interaction across epithelial layers with consistent, reproducible models |
| CO-CULTURE SYSTEMS | Stack epithelial, stromal, or immune cells onto Bio-Spun™ matrices for complex model creation |
Tech Tip:
For optimal co-culture performance using the Bio-Spun™ scaffolds, we advise establishing a stromal layer first prior to epithelial cell seeding. This significantly improves epithelial attachment, differentiation, and overall model stability.
Celebrating Our Partnership with Kurabo
We also had the opportunity to connect with Kurabo, our distributor in Japan. Our partnership has been essential in enabling efficient, reliable delivery of Lifeline products throughout the Asia–Pacific region.
This past November, our President Rebecca McGee and Manager, Sales & Customer Service, Holly Lockman, met in person with the Kuroba team in Japan. During the visit, the teams discussed new opportunities, met with customers, and stopped by the Annual Congress of SCCJ (Society of Cosmetic Chemists of Japan) Exhibition in Kobe to engage with the local scientific community.
With 2026 marking the 15-year anniversary of our collaboration, we are grateful for Kurabo’s shared commitment to quality, customer support, and scientific advancement. We look forward to building on our success together for many years to come.
Meet us at Cell Bio ’25
This December, the Lifeline team will be attending Cell Bio ’25 in Philadelphia, PA, the joint meeting of ASCB and EMBO. We’re excited to connect with the cell biology community to share science, celebrate discoveries, connect with colleagues, and grow together as a field. Meet us at booth 1104!
Science in Review
Finally, to close out 2025, let’s look back at some of the key publications featured on the Lifeline blog this year that made an impact across multiple areas of research, from disease modeling to drug discovery and tissue engineering.
Heart Disease
Our February blog reviewed how researchers used Lifeline® human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to look for hit compounds that can reduce vascular endothelial cell inflammation, a known contributor to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Transcriptomic RNA sequencing of HUVECs stimulated with inflammatory cytokines was used for in silico Connectivity Map (CMap) analysis, which identified Neratinib, an FDA-approved breast cancer drug, that can also effectively treat endothelial inflammation. Neratinib protects against atherosclerosis by reducing endothelial inflammation via ASK1 inhibition. As a repurposed drug, Neratinib holds promise to address residual inflammatory risk in ASCVD and complement existing lipid-lowering therapies.
Model Systems
Throughout the course of the year, several Lifeline blog highlighted the development of next-generation cellular and microphysiological models that better mirror in vivo conditions and improve the predictive power of in vitro research.
Microvascular Network Model
Wan and colleagues developed a microfluidic device using Lifeline® primary blood and endothelial cells to create engineered microvascular networks (MVNs) that mimic the vascular flow within the tumor microenvironment. This allowed researchers to study how blood flow dynamics—specifically transmural flow—shape tumor–immune interactions. Using this model, the team demonstrated that increased permeability in tumor vasculature exposes endothelial cells to higher transmural flow, which upregulates PD-L1 expression and contributes to immune evasion. This new mechanistic insight could point to potential therapeutic strategies for enhancing cancer immunotherapy.
3D Human Oral Tissue Model
Adelfio et al. used Lifeline® gingival stromal cells and keratinocytes to engineer a biomimetic 3D humanized gingival tissue model supported by silk-based scaffolds. When integrated into a bioreactor system, the model recreates key physiological features of the oral cavity—including salivary flow, shear stress, and natural buffering capacity—with oral hygiene simulated through periodic rinsing with a commercial mouthwash. This oral tissue model supports long-term host–microbiome studies for oral health and disease in a highly physiologically relevant environment.
Subcutaneous Tissue Model
As subcutaneous delivery gains momentum for protein-based therapeutics, accurately predicting human bioavailability remains a major challenge due to limitations in existing preclinical models. Offeddu and colleagues addressed this gap by developing a microphysiological model of the subcutaneous space using Lifeline® primary dermal microvascular endothelial cells (ECs) and dermal fibroblasts (FBs). This engineered system more closely recapitulates the human subcutaneous microenvironment, enabling researchers to evaluate the factors that influence drug absorption and bioavailability with greater physiological relevance.
PerfusionPal 3D Culture System
Liu and colleagues validated PerfusionPal, a 3D perfused culture system designed to improve preclinical testing of breast cancer therapeutics compared with conventional 2D models. The platform uses SeedEZ scaffolds—hydrophilic, fibrous glass disks housed within a multi-well insert—to support breast cancer cell lines and primary tumor explants. Cell lines were expanded in Lifeline®’s FibroLife® Serum-Free Medium, further modified into the epiFL formulation, prior to 3D culture establishment. Incorporating perfusion significantly improved culture homeostasis relative to static conditions, boosting metabolic activity and proliferation—particularly during long-term culture (up to 21 days). Overall, PerfusionPal represents a promising tool for more predictive preclinical drug evaluation and personalized medicine in breast cancer research.
PREDICT96-ALI Microphysiological Airway System
Quezada and colleagues evaluated PREDICT96-ALI, a high-throughput microphysiological system (MPS) designed to model human airway architecture, as a predictive platform for antiviral drug screening—specifically for SARS-CoV-2. Using primary normal human bronchial/tracheal epithelial cells (NHBE) cultured in Lifeline®’s BronchiaLife™ Epithelial Airway Medium, the system generated differentiated airway microtissues containing ciliated cells with active motion, mucus-producing goblet cells, basal cells, and club cells. Previously validated for influenza A and common cold coronaviruses, PREDICT96-ALI also supported SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication, with robust expression of key viral entry factors ACE2 and TMPRSS2. This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that PREDICT96-ALI is an effective screening platform that can improve preclinical prediction, accelerate antiviral development, and reduce drug candidate attrition.
Cancer Immunotherapies
Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are expanding the oncology landscape by combining the precision of monoclonal antibodies with the killing power of cytotoxic agents. Lewis et al. evaluated a novel ADC DHES0815A for the treatment of HER2⁺ breast cancer. To assess potential off-target effects, the researchers tested DHES0815A and its parent monoclonal antibody (MHES0488A) on several normal human cell types—including mammary epithelial cells, renal proximal tubule epithelial cells, umbilical vein endothelial cells, and small airway epithelial cells—all sourced from Lifeline®. Neither compound impaired the growth of these normal cell populations, providing insight into the safety profile of DHES0815A.
Toxicity Testing
As the field moves toward reducing animal use in safety testing, human-relevant in vitro assays are becoming increasingly important. For ocular irritancy studies, in vitro assays using human corneal epithelial cells are more predictive, but their limited proliferative capacity restricts their use. To address this, Fukuda and colleagues used the K4DT method—co-expressing mutant CDK4 (R24C), cyclin D1, and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT)—to create a new immortalized human corneal epithelial cell line. Human corneal epithelial cells from Lifeline® Cell Technology were cultured in OcuLife™ basal medium supplemented with OcuLife™ LifeFactors before lentiviral transduction. The resulting K4DT+T line is a stable, human-relevant platform for ocular cytotoxicity testing with high sensitivity to chemical irritants, making it a strong alternative to animal-based assays.
Wound Healing
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is widely used for acute wound care, yet its benefits in chronic wound settings, such as diabetic foot ulcers, remain inconsistent. Green and colleagues examined how clinically relevant HBOT conditions affect mitochondrial behavior in wound-healing cells. Using Lifeline® primary human dermal fibroblasts cultured in FibroLife® media, the team exposed the cells to various gas mixtures and pressures while assessing mitochondrial function via high-resolution respirometry and fluorescence microscopy. The study found that a standard HBOT regimen (100% O₂ at 2.4 ATA) reduced mitochondrial motility and ATP-linked respiration, which increase O2 availability, but temporarily reduced mitochondrial function thereby impairing wound healing. The authors recommend further investigation using diabetes-related fibroblast models to better understand HBOT’s impact on chronic wounds and to help refine treatment protocols for improved patient outcomes.
Looking Ahead
“As we look ahead to 2026, our focus remains on upholding the highest quality standards in our products and being a reliable research partner to the scientific community. Thank you to our customers and collaborators for the trust you placed in Lifeline this year, and we look forward to supporting your breakthroughs with the same commitment to excellence in 2026 and beyond.”
– President, Rebecca McGee.