On Demand Webinar

Analyzing the Suppressive TME in in Vitro Based Assays

Speakers: Nataliia Beztsinna, PhD and Marten Hornsveld, PhD

The cancer immunity cycle involves several sequential steps leading to an effective T cell-mediated tumor eradication. However, many steps in the cycle can be disrupted, resulting in a tumor evading the host’s immune surveillance and response.

Understanding the cancer immunity cycle as a whole and mechanisms at each step is important for developing immunotherapeutics with a more durable response.

Understanding the cancer immunity cycle as a whole and mechanisms at each step is important for developing immunotherapeutics with a more durable response.

In this webinar, Dr Nataliia Beztsinna and Dr. Marten Hornsveld describe the role of tumor microenvironment (TME) compartments in clinical responses, as well as ex vivo patient-derived tissue technologies capable of maintaining the native TME for pre-clinical testing.

Complex in vitro models with the use of human stromal and immune co-cultures are discussed, together with the advantages of HCI to quantify intact tumor biology.

Watch this educational webinar to learn about:

• An examination of the key components of the TME that affect immunotherapy responses

• The main approaches to analyze the TME composition and the differences between ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ solid tumors

• Ex vivo assays capable of maintaining native human TME
  
  
• The advantages of high content imaging assay on fresh patient tissue in 3D for deciphering complex immuno-oncology drug responses
  
  
• Comparison between in vitro based assays containing native TME or reconstituted TME
  
  
• How myeloid cells in the TME affect tumors and methods to study and target this compartment
  
  
  • Advances in modelling the mesenchymal TME compartment in vitro and constructing pre-clinical mini-tumor platforms

About The Presenters:

Nataliia Beztsinna, PhD, Head of Ex Vivo Patient Tissue Platform, Crown Bioscience

Dr. Nataliia Beztsinna has a MS degree in Biochemistry and PhD in Biology-Chemistry interface. She is experienced in confocal microscopy, high content imaging, 3D cell culture, organoids, molecular imaging, primary patient tissue cultures, in vitro and in vivo cancer models and tumor- targeted drug delivery nanosystems. Currently Nataliia is working as a Head of 3D Ex Vivo Patient Tissue (EVPT) Platform. Her responsibilties include managing a small team of highly-skilled scientists, ensuring high quality execution of customer projects, interactions, technical advising and quote design for potential customers as well as research and development activities dedicated to the growth of the EVPT Platform.

Marten Hornsveld, PhD, Senior Scientist, Oncology, Crown Bioscience

Dr. Marten Hornsveld is a molecular biologist that focuses on understanding and targeting molecular signal transduction in cancer. During his PhD program, he studied the role of PI3K-AKT signaling in breast cancer using a variety of mouse and cell based models. In his postdoctoral research he moved into the organoid technology field and worked on building representative organoid models for pancreatic cancer. This resulted in the establishment of a novel close-to-patient mini-tumor model that can be employed for both basic research and pre-clinical studies. A year ago, he switched gears and started as a senior scientist at Crown Bioscience. Here, he continues to work on building pre-clinical tumor models to facilitate rapid discovery of promising lead compounds in the oncology field.