Tumor Stroma Interaction
Our study focuses on the interaction between tumour and stroma cells in order to provide new insights on cancer development, simultaneously aiming to generate new therapeutics based on modified mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSC).
Current research:
- Dissection of malignant and stromal cell interactions in tumours using ex vivo and in vivo assays
- Gene manipulation of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSC), as putative stromal cell precursors to specifically deliver anticancer molecules within tumour microenvironment
Laboratory expertise:
- Isolation and characterization of MSC from a variety of tissues
- Isolation and characterization of primary tumour stromal cells
- Isolation and characterization of extracellular vesicles by both tumour and stromal cells.
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Ex vivo amplification, introducing both standard and innovative culture conditions including 3D matrix
- Immunophenotyping and FACS sorting
- Proliferation and migration assays
- Plasmid vector construction, cell modification and protein expression analysis by flow cytometry and ELISA assay
- Cytotoxicity assays
- Time-lapse microscopy
- Tumour xenotransplantation (orthotopic and heterotopic mouse models)
- Safety profile analyses
- Multiparametric histological analyses and microscopy
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