Project description
A label-free approach to study how cells respond to cancer treatments
Personalised cancer treatment can benefit greatly from testing drugs on patient-derived 3D cell cultures. However, current methods including optical microscopy are rather slow and unsuitable for large-scale testing. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the MITO project will use local electrical impedance spectroscopy – a technique enabling real-time monitoring of large arrays of 3D cell cultures, without needing labels. The technology combines advanced microstructured devices and polymer layers to guide electrical currents to the cells and help them grow in realistic 3D structures. The system will provide detailed, real-time information about how cells are organised and function. The new prototypes will use 3D tumour models to test cancer therapies, offering a faster, animal-free platform for developing personalised medicines.
Objective
High-throughput functional drug testing on patient-derived 3D cell cultures offers unprecedented opportunities for personalized cancer medicine. Optical microscopy constitutes a bottleneck in this approach as it cannot provide rapid information on cell and tissue viability and is not compatible with upscaling. To address this issue, I focus my research project on local electrical impedance spectroscopy to enable the real-time and label-free monitoring of large arrays of 3D cell cultures. The vision is to combine integrated arrays of microstructured organic mixed ionic-electronic conductor devices with multifunctional 3D micropatterned polymeric layers to achieve two specific objectives: i) focus the ionic currents onto the 3D space where cell aggregates are formed, ii) provide the biological cues for cell assembly and development into 3D functional structures. The rapid acquisition of the electrical impedance matrix resolved in frequency space combined with impedance modelling will provide real-time tomographic information about 3D cell organization, inter-cellular junctions and cellular functionality. As a test case demonstrating high-throughput 3D cell culture experiments, final prototypes will implement 3D tumour models to test cellular therapies suppressing cancer growth. The envisioned technology will constitute a novel platform for the accelerated development of personalized medicines without relying on animal testing. The strong interdisciplinary approach adopted by MITO leverages the high-level expertise of the University of Bologna (12-months return phase, supervisor Prof. Tobias Cramer, expert in materials for bioelectronics) and ETH Zurich (24-months outgoing phase, supervisor Prof. Andreas Hierlemann, expert in electrical engineering and cell cultures). Throughout the entire action, I will receive excellent training to enhance my scientific, communication, dissemination, and technology transfer skills, significantly advancing my future academic career.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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.
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.
- natural sciences physical sciences optics microscopy
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- natural sciences physical sciences optics spectroscopy
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Keywords
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)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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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.
Funding Scheme
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.
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-GF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - Global Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
40126 Bologna
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.