# A Simple Sponge, a Big Shift in Cell Therapy with Yev Brudno, UNC

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/mendelspod-podcast-742570/a-simple-sponge-a-big-shift-in-cell-therapy-with-yev-brudno-unc
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/mendelspod-podcast-742570/a-simple-sponge-a-big-shift-in-cell-therapy-with-yev-brudno-unc.md
Podcast: [Mendelspod Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/mendelspod-podcast-742570)
Published: 2026-02-03T16:28:28+00:00
Episode link: https://www.mendelspod.com/p/a-simple-sponge-a-big-shift-in-cell
Audio file: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/184229654/62224565fe0e72b83c34c92bd46c65a5.mp3
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Duration seconds: 1840

## Resource

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…

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