Project description
Understanding radiotherapy resistance in triple-negative breast cancer
Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive subtype that lacks effective targeted therapies. Radiotherapy is the preferred treatment, but up to 40% of patients develop resistance. Improving radiotherapy outcomes requires better experimental models that capture the complexity of the tumour microenvironment. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the RIoBORG project uses patient-derived tumour organoids to study radiotherapy resistance under clinically relevant conditions. A novel 3D co-culture system incorporating stromal and endothelial cells will model key resistance drivers, including hypoxia, inflammation, and abnormal blood vessel formation. Researchers will combine different types of molecular profiling to identify predictive biomarkers and resistance signatures. The project is expected to guide personalised radiotherapy strategies for patients with triple-negative breast cancer.
Objective
Radiotherapy fails in up to 40% of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients due to radioresistance mechanisms that remain poorly understood. RIoBORG (Radiation-Induced Resistance in Breast Cancer Organoids) addresses this urgent challenge using patient-derived xenograft organoids (PDXOs) as physiologically relevant models to study tumour-intrinsic and microenvironment-driven resistance.
This translational project advances PDXO applications by integrating clinically relevant fractionated RT protocols with advanced tumour microenvironment (TME) modelling. The study simulates clinical RT regimens under normoxic and hypoxic conditions to capture tumour heterogeneity. A novel 3D co-culture system combining PDXOs with stromal and endothelial cells will enable in-depth investigation of angiogenesis, inflammation, and hypoxia-induced radioresistance—key factors often overlooked in conventional models.
A multi-modal strategy, encompassing functional assays, molecular phenotyping, and transcriptomic analysis, will facilitate the identification of radiosensitivity-associated signatures and predictive biomarkers in PDXOs. Expected outputs include RT response profiles, biomarker panels, and stratification models that inform personalized treatment planning.
The fellowship is strengthened by the host’s expertise in organoid and molecular profiling platforms and complemented by the fellow’s background in radiobiology, immunology, and bioinformatics. This synergy ensures interdisciplinary training aligned with MSCA goals and impactful research to improve personalized RT strategies in TNBC care.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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75794 Paris
France
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