by EH
A team of Italian scientists has developed a groundbreaking strategy to help preserve fertility in young cancer patients, offering new hope for children facing life-saving treatments that can compromise their ability to have children later in life.
Researchers from the University of Trieste and the IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, a leading pediatric research hospital, have combined advances in bioengineering and cell therapy to enhance the success of ovarian tissue transplants. The findings were published this week in Bioactive Materials, a peer-reviewed journal focused on biomedical innovation.
The technique builds on an existing procedure in which ovarian tissue is harvested and cryopreserved before a patient undergoes chemotherapy or radiation. Once the patient is in remission, the tissue can be reimplanted, restoring reproductive function. What makes this new approach distinctive is the addition of autologous vascular cells—cells derived from the patient’s own blood vessels—into the ovarian tissue before transplantation.
The addition of these cells appears to significantly improve the revascularization of the graft, allowing for better oxygen and nutrient delivery, which is crucial for the survival and function of the transplanted tissue. While the technique has so far only been tested in animal models, the results are promising enough to generate international attention.
“This strategy has the potential to profoundly change the outlook for fertility preservation in pediatric oncology,” said Dr. Chiara Agostinis, a researcher at IRCCS Burlo Garofolo and one of the lead scientists on the project. “Our goal is to give young patients not just survival, but quality of life in the long term.”
The project is the result of a multidisciplinary collaboration that includes the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), led by Prof. Serena Zacchigna of the Cardiovascular Biology Lab and faculty member at the University of Trieste, and Elettra Sincrotrone Trieste, an advanced research facility specializing in synchrotron radiation.
Prof. Roberta Bulla, who heads the Department of Life Sciences at the University of Trieste and co-led the study, emphasized the importance of the integrated approach. “Combining cellular biology with bioengineering principles is opening up new frontiers in regenerative medicine,” she said.
Though still in the experimental phase, the research marks a significant step forward in the global effort to make fertility preservation a standard part of pediatric cancer care.
For many survivors, it may one day mean the chance to dream of having a family—something once considered out of reach.
