High-throughput screening assays and readouts for targeting metastatic progression (A07)

• Subject Area: Hematology, Oncology
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 429280966

To support the discovery of clinically relevant treatments against metastatic progression, it is the goal of this project to develop complex 3D in vitro models and tailored cell-based assays. These will be used to emulate and study the fundamental processes during early metastasis for later use in drug screening campaigns. The project comprises: (i) Development of patient-derived 3D tumor organoid models including their adaptation to high-throughput and high-content screening requirements; (ii) Establishment of physiologically relevant, homotypic or heterotypic iPS-based in vitro models that represent metastatic niches most relevant to breast, pancreas, melanoma and colorectal cancers; (iii) Extending and combining the range of available readout technologies to monitor the 3D niche models during experimental encounter of tumor cells and during drug exposure. The experimental readouts include target-based endpoint assays and phenotypic, imaged-based or integral, label-free approaches developed into a modular platform.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 305: Striking a moving target: From mechanisms of metastatic colonization to novel systemic therapies
• Applicant Institution: Universität Regensburg
• Project Heads: Philip Gribbon, Ph.D.; Dr. Kamran Honarnejad, until 12/2021; Professor Dr. Christoph Klein, from 1/2022 until 12/2022; Dr. Natasa Stojanovic Guzvic, since 1/2023; Dr. Andrea Stutz, since 1/2023; Professor Dr. Joachim Wegener