Into the Fold: Using Origami to Beat Metastasized Cancer

Into the Fold: Using Origami to Beat Metastasized Cancer

Aikaterini Mantzavinou, Lina A. Colucci, Michael J. Cima

Koch Institute at MIT

Many advanced cancer patients have tumors growing throughout their abdomen. They need treatment that combines surgery and chemotherapy to kill as many cancer cells as possible while minimizing damage to their body.

The Cima Lab has created a thin biomaterial sheet that releases chemotherapy at a low dose over weeks. The ancient Japanese art of origami—in this case, the famous Miura V-pleat, also used in maps and satellites—is applied to fold the sheet and place it inside the patient’s abdomen through a tiny incision. Once inside, it expands to expose as big an area as possible to the drug.

Learn more about this project in STAT.

Video

Katerina Mantzavinou and Lina Colucci share the story behind their award-winning image. You can also watch their presentation from the exhibit opening on March 8, 2018 here or learn more about this project with STAT.

BONUS VIDEO: Behind the Scenes of the Koch Institute Image Awards