Episode
A Simple Sponge, a Big Shift in Cell Therapy with Yev Brudno, UNC
- Podcast
- Mendelspod Podcast
- Published
- Feb 3, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1840
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://www.mendelspod.com/p/a-simple-sponge-a-big-shift-in-cell
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Summary
What if the hardest part of scaling cell therapy turned out to be a materials problem not a biological one—and the solution looked like a sponge? On today’s show, Theral speaks with Yev Brudno , Associate Professor in the School of Pharmacy and also the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, about a deceptively simple technology that could dramatically accelerate manufacturing and lower the cost of cell therapies. Brudno’s lab works at the intersection of chemistry, biomaterials, and cell biology, with a focus on removing the manufacturing and scalability barriers that have kept powerful therapies like CAR-T out of reach for most patients. At the center of the conversation is a dry, porous biomaterial sponge—developed initially by accident—that boosts viral transduction efficiency from roughly 10% to as high as 90% by forcing cells and viral vectors into intense, highly efficient contact. The sponge works across multiple delivery systems, including retroviruses, lentiviruses, AAVs, and even lipid nanoparticles, effectively functioning as a low-cost, scalable alternative to complex microfluidic systems. Brudno explains how this discovery reframes genetic modification as a physical- and materials-science problem rather than a purely biological one. The discussion goes beyond mechanism into real-world impact. Brudno describes how these sponges—now commercialized for research use by Takara Bio USA—could compress weeks-long CAR-T manufacturing workflows into hours, enabling bedside or community-hospital cell engineering without the need for $100-million cleanroom facilities. The episode closes with a broader reflection on the future of cell therapy. Once again, some of the most transformative advances might come from curious…