Feat: add VCML content sanitization function to remove Image tags

Author: KacemMathlouthi

backend/app/services/vcelldb_service.py

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from app.core.logger import get_logger
 import httpx
 import asyncio
+import re
 from app.schemas.vcelldb_schema import BiomodelRequestParams, SimulationRequestParams
 from urllib.parse import urlencode, quote
 from langfuse import observe
@@ -10,6 +11,33 @@
 logger = get_logger("vcelldb_service")
 
 
+def sanitize_vcml_content(vcml_content: str) -> str:
+    """
+    Sanitizes VCML content by removing all Image tags and their content.
+    
+    Args:
+        vcml_content (str): Raw VCML content as string.
+        
+    Returns:
+        str: Sanitized VCML content with all Image tags removed.
+    """
+    # Remove all Image tags and their content using regex
+    # This pattern matches <Image ...> ... </Image> including nested content
+    # The pattern handles multiline content and preserves the rest of the XML structure
+    sanitized_content = re.sub(
+        r'<Image[^>]*>.*?</Image>',
+        '',
+        vcml_content,
+        flags=re.DOTALL | re.MULTILINE
+    )
+    
+    # Clean up any extra whitespace that might be left after removing images
+    sanitized_content = re.sub(r'\n\s*\n', '\n', sanitized_content)
+    
+    logger.info("VCML content sanitized: Image tags removed")
+    return sanitized_content
+
+
 async def check_vcell_connectivity() -> bool:
     """
     Check if the VCell API is reachable by attempting to resolve the hostname.
@@ -138,9 +166,9 @@ async def get_vcml_file(
                 response.raise_for_status()
 
                 if truncate:
-                    return response.text[:500]
+                    return sanitize_vcml_content(response.text[:500])
                 else:
-                    return response.text
+                    return sanitize_vcml_content(response.text)
 
         except httpx.HTTPStatusError as e:
             logger.error(