Dr Alexander Zhdanov Co-Authors Study on Hybrid Oxygen-Sensing Bio-Scaffolds
Dr Alexander Zhdanov, Senior Technical Officer at the School of Pharmacy, is a co-author of a new paper published in Biosensors on 14 February 2026 entitled Hybrid Oxygen-Sensing Bio-Scaffolds for 3D Micro-Tissue Models. The study was carried out in collaboration with colleagues from the School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, alongside Liang Li and Dmitri B. Papkovsky.
The study focuses on the role of oxygen in 3D cell models. Oxygen plays a vital role in how cells grow, function, and respond to disease, especially in three-dimensional (3D) cell models that better mimic real tissues. However, measuring oxygen levels inside these tiny tissue models is challenging. In this study, authors developed new “smart” biomaterials that not only support the growth of cells in 3D but can also measure oxygen levels within the tissue. These materials combine common laboratory scaffolds (such as Matrigel and agarose) with special light-emitting oxygen-sensitive probes.
Authors tested several types of oxygen sensors and found that tiny nanoparticles performed best. When embedded in Matrigel, these nanoparticles stayed stable, did not leak out, and produced strong and reliable optical signals. This allowed to accurately detect oxygen levels and gradients around small clusters of cancer cells (spheroids). Importantly, measuring changes in the light signal lifetime, rather than brightness alone, provided more accurate and consistent oxygen readings.
These hybrid scaffolds make it easier to study how cells consume oxygen in 3D environments, mimicking physiological conditions. They require fewer cells than traditional methods and allow researchers to visualise oxygen depletion around growing tissues. This technology could improve research in cancer biology, tissue engineering, and drug testing, where understanding oxygen levels is essential.
The full article, Hybrid Oxygen-Sensing Bio-Scaffolds for 3D Micro-Tissue Models, is available to read on the Biosensors website.