Organoid

Research projects

A personalized multi-omics discovery and validation platform for recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (POLARES)

Representative images and immunohistochemical staining of patient-derived organoids (PDOs) from head and neck cancer patients. – Reference source: Martina Franchini (Riether Lab)

Group Giger   Head and Neck Anticancer Center
                                  POLARES Research Group
Diagnostic and therapeutic developments in recent years have improved the prognosis for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Despite these developments, a significant proportion of patients relapse after an initial response to standard treatment. Salvage treatment options are limited, and personalized treatment approaches that consider the genomic/epigenetic landscape of the tumor are lacking. The goal of this research is to establish a center of excellence in HNSCC that bridges the gap between genomic analysis and translation of findings into clinical trials. By establishing a multi-omics discovery and validation platform under the umbrella of the University Cancer Center Inselspital (UCI), this consortium (ORL, Head and Neck Surgery; Medical Oncology; Radiation-Oncology) aims to determine how alterations at the genomic and epigenetic level regulate carcinogenesis, treatment response and resistance in HNSCC and thereby identify novel mechanisms to target tumor relapse.

On behalf of the Consortium:
Prof. Dr. Roland Giger (Lead), Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery; PD Dr. Olgun Elicin, Radio-Oncology; Dr. Simon Häfliger, Medical Oncology; PD Dr. Michaela Medová, Radio-Oncology, DBMR; Prof. Dr. Carsten Riether, Medical Oncology, DBMR; Dr. Daniel H. Schanne, Radio-Oncology

Metastatic-on-Chip Model

Cancer cells located within a microvasculature network. Top row: Holoclones remain within the endothelial lining marked by PECAM1 (left), whereas paraclones extravasate in the surrounding matrix (right). PECAM1 = red, A549 subclones = green. Bottom row: 3D surface rendering illustrates the different extravasation dynamics of both A549 subclones. Scale bar = 20 µm.

Gruppe Guenat   The Metastasis-on-Chip project aims to replicate the metastatic process, focusing specifically on extravasation and colony formation. Our initial studies evaluate the metastatic potential of cancer cells based on their phenotypes, using the A549 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line, which exhibits distinct phenotypic variations. We discovered that paraclones, characterized by a mesenchymal phenotype, successfully extravasate, while holoclones, with an epithelial phenotype, do not. Additionally, paraclones demonstrated significantly greater migratory behavior compared to holoclones. These findings provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of metastasis and lay the groundwork for further exploration of targeted therapies.