PREDICT – Image-guided personalized therapeutic response for pancreatic cancer
Project description
Personalized cancer treatment requires advanced technologies capable of realistically replicating the complex interactions between tumor cells and their microenvironment. The PREDICT project is developing a sensor-based microfluidic platform designed to quantify chemotherapy sensitivity in patient-derived tumor models.
The platform integrates XFCT-based imaging, using hydrogels spiked with nanoparticles and living cells as phantoms for validation and calibration of the imaging workflow. This imaging allows high-resolution observation of cellular reactions and their dynamic changes under physiologically relevant perfusion, enabling the precise recording of biochemical and mechanical parameters such as cell vitality, cell–cell interactions, and microenvironmental factors.
Key technical developments include optimizing the XFCT system geometry for organ-on-chip applications, refining optical components for beam focusing, collimation, and filtering, and adjusting detector configurations to improve sensitivity and resolution. Radiomics analysis will be applied to link preclinical imaging data with clinical patient outcomes. Combined, these advances enable the accurate measurement of the cytotoxic and cytostatic effects of nanotherapeutics on patient-derived organoids The combination of innovative sensor technology, optimized XFCT geometry, and advanced analytics provides extended capabilities compared to conventional light microscopy and enables a more precise quantitative assessment of therapeutic response.
The PREDICT system entirely avoids animal testing, in alignment with the international 3R principles for ethical research. In the final project phase, in vitro results will be correlated with clinical data to validate the platform’s predictive power.
Consortium & Partners
The interdisciplinary consortium includes the research group of Prof. Ulf Kahlert, specialized in patient-derived disease models and translational cancer research, and the group of Prof. Ulrike Steinmann, with expertise in sensor-integrated microfluidic measurement systems. This close collaboration ensures that biological and engineering innovations are fully integrated into the organ-on-chip system.
Funding & Duration
Project duration: June 1, 2024 – December 31, 2027
