3D-printed capsule gives researchers a clearer look at glioblastoma

A global-first innovation, developed by a research team at and Queen’s University, is changing the way scientists will be able to study glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer.

Neurosurgeon scientists and assistant professors Dr. James Purzner and Dr. Teresa Purzner, along with Queen’s Engineering PhD candidate Kaytlin Andrews, have designed and patented a 3D-printed surgical biopsy capsule – a container used to secure small tissue samples from tumours – with unprecedented precision during surgical procedures.

Published recently in the journal Operative Neurosurgery, this development has the potential to transform how brain tumours are studied – and ultimately how they will be treated in the future.

“Glioblastoma tumours are incredibly complex and diverse,” explains Dr. Teresa Purzner. “Traditionally, researchers have been limited to small, somewhat arbitrarily collected tissue fragments, which is similar to trying to study an elephant using only snapshots of its toenail, trunk, or ear, each which might suggest something entirely different.”

The team's surgical biopsy capsule is used to secure small tissue samples from tumours with unprecedented precision during surgical procedures. (Photo courtesy KHSC)

The capsules, which have been patented with the support of Queen’s Partnership and Innovation, are created by using standard 3D printing technology. By printing them this way, they will be easily available to other hospitals around the world, at a cost of only about 30 cents each, spreading the impact of this foundational research. As a result research teams are now able to collect dozens of tissue samples from each tumour and study its molecular makeup. Each sample is also linked back to MRI imaging so researchers can map exactly where from inside, or near the tumour, each sample came.

“With this approach, we can start to build a more systematic and comprehensive map of how these tumors grow and spread, says Dr. Teresa Purzner. This could give us important clues about when they might recur and how we can treat them.”

The capsule is already being used in operating rooms at KHSC, making Kingston the only medical centre in the world currently applying this new Canadian-made tool. The work not only will provide new insights into tumour biology but may also lay the foundation for future therapies. Potential applications include:

Focused radiation treatments to target high-risk areas of tumours that are most likely to spread or recur
Smarter surgical decision-making to help neurosurgeons remove the tumour more precisely and safely during surgery
Innovative drug development, supported by the most comprehensive molecular profiles of glioblastoma ever collected

Dr. James Purzner says the biology of glioblastoma is different from any other type of cancer, which in part makes them so difficult to study.

The biopsy capsules are created with standard 3D printing technology, making them easily available to hospitals around the world, at a cost of only about 30 cents each.

“Glioblastoma tumours start in cells that have the ability to transform into many different types of brain cells. They also carry many different types of DNA mutations and large copies of extra genetic material,” he says, adding that because these cells spread through the brain, the cells in one spot can be quite different from those just a few millimetres away. “By understanding these differences, we can better tailor surgery and radiation treatments and focus our research on what matters most for patients.”

The research team is now working to build partnerships with other hospitals across Ontario to expand this study. Work is also underway to build a state-of-the-art tissue banking facility that can store samples from patients across the country, positioning KHSC and Queen’s as a global hub for brain tumour research.

“This project illustrates what is possible when clinical care and innovative research converge,” says Dr. Steven Smith, President and CEO of the KHSC Research Institute and Deputy Vice-Principal Research at Queen’s University. “Our teams are creating a resource that could help unlock novel treatments for glioblastoma and give hope to patients encountering this devastating disease, while at the same time putting Kingston on the map as a global research leader.”

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