New technologies allow us to grow cancer cells from patients with high efficiency as 3D cellular structures or tumoroids in the lab. It has become clear that these tumoroids retain the characteristics of the tumor they are derived from and have the potential to be used for functional precision medicine. The high potential of these models is often diminished by the use of rudimentary read-outs that only offer limited information because researchers do not have access to advanced infrastructure or know-how. The TUSC lab aims to facilitate the implementation of patient-derived tumoroids by offering the following services to cancer researchers:
- Processing of tumor biopsies and resection fragments into tumoroids for preclinical and clinical applications.
- Establishing a patient-derived tumoroid biobank for multiple tumor types and making it available to academic cancer researchers.
- Development of micro-tumors that incorporate the tumor microenvironment.
- Access to our advanced AI image analysis software Orbits (www.orbits-oncology.com). We can also offer custom-made image analysis modules.
- High-throughput live-cell imaging-based drug screening for preclinical and clinical applications.
Team leader
Prof. Dr. Christophe Deben
Associated promotors (alphabetically)
Prof. dr. Winnok De Vos
Prof. dr. Jeroen Hendriks
Prof. dr. Niels Komen
Prof. dr. Filip Lardon
Dr. Abraham Lin
Dr. Michiel de Maat
Prof. dr. Marc Peeters
Prof. dr. Hans Prenen
Dr. Geert Roeyen
Prof. dr. Evelien Smits
Prof. Dr. Timon Vandamme
Prof. dr. Steve Vanlanduit
Prof. dr. An Wouters
PhD students
Edgar Cardenas
Laura Gehrcken
Odeta Islam
Maxim Le Compte
Sofie Seghers
Lab technicians
Felicia Rodrigues Fortes
Christophe Hermans