Under the leadership of Dr. Nataša Anastasov, research group ‘Personalized Radiation Therapy’ at the Institute of Radiation Biology (ISB), the scientists have developed a three dimensional tissue consisting of a mix of breast cancer and connecivity cells targeting to test combined treatment methods. Both cells types are tagged with different fluorescence marker to detect their different reactions to a test substance followed by a radiation.

In 96 wells of a microtiter plate the mini tissues are brought in a "hanging drop" technique and exposed to the test substance and radiation. The cell reaction can be observed using a fluorescence microscope.

To complement their cell system the researchers plan to add stroma and immune cells.

In their study the researchers collaborated closely with the ‘Assay Development and Screening Platform’ at Helmholtz Zentrum München and the Munich-
based Sirion Biotech GmbH and the Swiss InSphero AG.

The scientists have published their model in the Journal BMC Cancer.

Original paper:
Anastasov, N. Höfig, I, Radulovi, V, Ströbel, S, Salomon, M, Lichtenberg, J, Rothenaigner, I, Hadian, K, Kelm, JM, Thirion, C & Atkinson, MJ (2015): A 3D- microtissue-based phenotypic screening of radiation resistant tumor cells with synchronized chemotherapeutic treatment, BMC Cancer. DOI: 10.1186/s12885-015-1481-9.

Weitere Informationen:
http://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/aktuelles/pressemitteilungen/2015/index.html
http://www.helmholtz-muenchen.de/aktuelles/pressemitteilungen/2015/pressemitteilung/article/27107/index.html