Our Travel Grant Winners at Goodbye Flat Biology 2023

PhD Student, Queensland University of Technology, Translational Research Institute, Brisbane, Australia

Research: My project focuses on developing 3D in vitro co-culture and in vivo humanised models that better mimic the human microenvironment to understand the role of bone marrow fat on prostate cancer bone metastases growth and therapy resistance and potentially detect new human markers which could be determinant to the incurability of the disease. This platform can be therefore used as an advanced pre-clinical drug testing platform.

Were there any networking highlights you want to tell us about?

Thank to the speed networking, I was able to meet and discuss with Peter Field, who used to collaborate with some of my supervisors on similar projects to mine. It was really enriching to be able to exchange with him about different subjects related to data analyses from in vivo samples and hear his ideas. It also allowed me to meet other PhD students who use similar techniques as me, allowing us to discuss those techniques and the struggles which come with it.

After my talk, I was able to discuss with another PhD student working on adipocytes and cancer, like me, and we were able to discuss about the struggles we encounter with the culture of adipocytes and discuss some of our results together.

How was this conference different from others you have attended?

This conference was one of the biggest conferences I have attended . However, it was the first conference with such a high number of attendees that use only one room where everyone listen to the same talks. In the previous big conferences I attended, we had several rooms with 2 to 3 talks happening at the same time, meaning that you have to choose which talk you prefer to attend, which can be a difficult choice to make as sometimes several talks are very interesting for us. Having always only one talk at the same time allow us to listen to everything. Moreover, presenting in front of all attendees allow us to have more feedback or questions about our project which make It more enriching for us. Although it was quite a big conference with a lot of attendees, it still felt quite casual, with a lot of opportunities to meet and talk with people, which wasn’t the case in the other big conferences I attended to.

How has the conference inspired you in your research?

The talks and posters from this conference confirmed the importance to adapt my model to patient cells in order to adapt it as a personalised medicine platform, which is our ultimate goal.

Some of the talks, especially Dr Anne Rios’, showed a diversity of techniques that can be used to trace cancer cells and follow their progression during their culture, which inspired me. I would really like to apply these techniques to my research to improve our findings, especially some 3D imaging techniques.

Did you take part in any interesting local activities?

As I was already in Germany for a scientific retreat with my institute, I was able to come for the weekend before the conference to visit Berlin and Potsdam. I walked around Berlin’s city centre and visited some museums, including the Topography of Terror, the Check Point Charlie museum, and a lot of Berlin’s highlights such as the remaining of the wall, the Brandenburger Tor, Berlin’s Cathedral and the museum island, the Reichstag, etc. I really enjoyed Berlin as there are a lot of old buildings and because this city is rich in history which makes it very interesting. I found north of Potsdam very lovely, with its nice pedestrian centre and its own Brandenburger Tor. I also enjoyed its parks and castles, such as park Sanssouci.

Is there anything else you’d like to mention?

I would like to thank the EACR committee for giving me the opportunity to present my work and awarding me this Travel Grant, allowing me to attend this conference. It was the first European conference focusing on cancer models I attended to, which was very enriching and allowed me to understand the current focus and methods used in the field, internationally, and meet researchers from the field that I never met before in Australian’s conferences. This conference allowed me to develop my network and enrich my knowledge about cancer research, which will be crucial for my job search as a postdoc.

Swipe left or click ‘Next’ at the top to see the next report

PhD Student, FIOCRUZ, Brazil

Research: My current research involves giving existing medications a new indication for oral cancer through a strategy called drug repurposing. Despite advances in therapeutic approaches, current oral cancer therapies are limited, and the prognosis remains unfavourable due to high rates of recurrence and metastasis. We propose a framework based on computational analysis with further testing in tumour cells that may reassign approved drugs for oral cancer treatment and benefit thousands of patients.

What was a personal highlight of the conference for you?

I liked the lecture “Modeling brain tumor with human organoids” by Dr. Luca Tiberi. He showed his latest results related to the study of childhood brain tumors. What surprised me was the fact that he cultured organoids for almost 1 year and they resemble a lot the original tumors from patients.

Were there any social or networking highlights you want to tell us about?

I was particularly interested in the organ-on-chip-based approach for 3D cancer tissue culture explained by Dr. Silvia Scaglione from Reac4life since generating predictable, reliable, and reproducible organoids is not an easy task. After the lecture, I reached out to her, and we discussed how the system could be applied to my work. Her insightful ideas were decisive in establishing a potential network with her and checking how it could be possible to use this technology in Brazil.

When you got home, is there anything from the conference that you immediately wanted to tell your colleagues about?

I am very excited to tell my colleagues about all the latest updates on cancer 3D models. It was inspiring to check patient-derived organoids being used for drug discovery, to discuss collective migration and how cancer cell collectives can alternate between migration strategies, to debate next-generation tumoroids, and to see some Biotech products in the industry spotlight.

Have you brought back any specific knowledge that has benefited your research?

I got interested in the topic of collective cell migration. As I work with drug screening and the effects of drugs in metastasis, it was good to discuss this type of migration since it has been shown to have a higher invasive capacity and higher resistance to clinical treatments than single tumour cell migration.

Swipe left or click ‘Next’ at the top to see the next report

PhD Student, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM UMRS1138, Paris, France

Research: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) represents a major public health issue due to its high incidence rate and its poor prognosis for patients. Like most solid cancers, tumor cells need a significant amount of oxygen and nutrients to grow. Consequently, tumor cells instruct the formation of new blood vessels in order to vascularise the tumour mass. In my team, we are interested in the architecture of the abnormal blood vessels of ccRCC. My research work allowed us to associate the presence of some of these blood vessels with the response to treatments and the influence on the patient’s prognosis.

What was a personal highlight of the conference for you?

I had the chance to be one of the students selected for the poster spotlight session. Public speaking is always a stressful and challenging time. This has given visibility to my research work and allowed me to have very interesting scientific discussions on the results presented on my poster.

Were there any networking highlights you want to tell us about?

I discussed with various specialist of in vitro human 3D disease models such as Henriëtte Lanz (MIMETAS) or Silvia Scaglione (React4Life). This allowed me to discover interesting in vitro models and to discuss the adaptability of these models to the scientific questions of my project. 1 month after the conference, we are considering with my team to use one of these models to perfuse tumour vessels in the context of our study on clear cell renal cell carcinoma by using a microfluidic system.

Did you take part in any interesting local activities in your free time outside of the conference?

The good organisation of the conference allowed us to enjoy our free time in the city of Berlin. It was my first time in Germany and I went under the Brandenburg Gate, through the medieval streets of the Nicholas Quarter and I visited and went up to the top of the Dome of the Berlin Cathedral.

When you got home, is there anything from the conference that you immediately wanted to tell your colleagues about?

Before going to the congress, our project was to develop an in vitro model of microfluidic chips. When I came back, I was excited to share with my colleagues the different 3D models presented at the congress, the applicability of these to our project and the companies that market them. Thanks to this, the project has been able to make good progress since then.

How has this conference inspired you in your research?

Participating in an international conference is an enriching moment both professionally and culturally. I was impressed by the quality of the scientific research and the working environment of many selected speakers. This motivates me to find a post-doctoral fellow abroad at the end of my thesis. This EACR conference inspired me to apply next year in several laboratories present at the conference and with which I share common research themes.

Swipe left or click ‘Next’ at the top to see the next report

PhD Student, CRUK Scotland Institute, UK

Research: The spreading of cancer to other areas of the body greatly impacts prognosis and therefore my research focuses on understanding how cancer cells form tumours and grow in this new location. I am particularly interested in pancreatic cancer and developing a 3D cell model of pancreatic cancer cells forming tumours in the liver. This model provides a tool to study and further our understanding of how the physical and biochemical elements surrounding cancer cells can impact tumour formation and growth. With this new understanding we can go on to develop more effective therapies to improve survival rates of pancreatic cancer.

What was a personal highlight of the conference for you?

I was very grateful for the opportunity my present my research as a poster presentation. It gave the opportunity to discuss my work and gain value feedback from both academic researchers and industry scientists. The conference also provided an opportunity to discuss with experts in the field about the current limitations and recent advancements in 3D cell modelling to study cancer.

Were there any social or networking highlights you want to tell us about?

As a final year PhD student, I was able to catch up with fellow students from other institutes and discuss future career plans. The conference programme provided a unique opportunity to chat with many group leaders and I was inspired by their individual career paths and the advice they had to offer.

Did you take part in any interesting local or cultural activities in your free time outside of the conference?

I have been to Berlin several times but on this particular trip, I decided to explore the beautiful city during a walk at night. I had my first glimpse of the Reichstag building and was fortunate enough to catch the Festival of Lights exhibition at the Brandenburg Gate.

How has the conference inspired you in your research?

Attending the Goodbye Flat Biology 2023 conference, I was encouraged by enthusiastic discussions about my research with fellow scientists and the lectures have inspired potential future approaches to further my research.

Swipe left or click ‘Next’ at the top to see the next report

PhD Student, Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, UK

Research: My PhD project is studying how a protein called mutant p53 protein is causing cancer cells to eat other cells. Beforehand, our lab found that, the eating behaviour initiated by mutant p53 protein in cancer allows for more tumour growth and links to lower patient’s survival in lung cancer. Generally, mutant p53 protein also is known to be found in more aggressive cancers with often lower patient’s survival. So, we are studying why and how mutant p53 protein is causing the eating behaviour in cancer cells and see if we can find ways to therapeutically manipulate the process.

Were there any networking highlights you’d like to mention?

At the conference, I wanted to meet Laura Machesky, Paul Timpson and hear more about Eric Sahai’s work. In addition to their work being closely related to my subject area, I have previously come across their publications and think highly of them. Although Laura joined the conference virtually, it was great to be able to hear about the most recent work in her lab and ask questions on them. With Paul, he is a previous collaborator of our lab and so meeting him and his lab colleagues in person was great and fulfilling. To be able to share my work with them was a great experience as well. Eric Sahai’s work was very innovative and the techniques his lab use are some that I wish to incorporate in my project. So, it was very fulfilling to be able to attend his talk and understand the background.

How has the conference inspired you in your research?

Given the conference’s emphasis on using 3D models to study key processes like invasion, metastasis, angiogenesis, chemoresistance and mechanical cues in tumour, I found it very useful to learn about how spheroids and organoids are used in different in vitro and ex vivo settings. Because my project will incorporate spheroids’ culture to study invasion and cell engulfment. So, getting more understanding on what others tried with 3D models in studying specific functional roles was very helpful for me. It also inspired me to be more hopeful and positive about incorporating different spheroid models once I come back from the conference.

When you got home, is there anything from the conference that you immediately wanted to tell your colleagues about?

At the EACR Goodbye Flat Biology conference, I was able to meet another PhD student who is also studying on cell engulfment. So, it was very nice to be able to communicate about the different approaches we take in studying the same subject area. Therefore, when I came back, I told my supervisor about the experience and the approach they have taken with their project. I also found the career talk given by Andrew Ewald very motivating and so I shared his key points with other PhD students back in our lab.

Have you brought back any specific knowledge that has benefited your research?

During the conference, I made a conscious effort to ask other attendees who have experience in spheroid models about the type of matrix they used for what cells and in what condition they observed the culture of spheroids. So, all of such discussions was pivotal in deciding how to set up my spheroid models back in our lab.

Swipe left or click ‘Next’ at the top to see the next report

Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Trieste, Italy

Research: My current research is focused on the identification of drugs able to restore the anti-cancer function of the tumour suppressor DAB2IP, a cytoplasmatic protein frequently downregulated in various human malignancies. For this purpose, I have generated a prostate cancer cell line in which DAB2IP is labelled with a small bright tag. This system has enabled to detect DAB2IP levels in a rapid and quantitative manner and to screen thousands of different drugs in order to search for those able to increase DAB2IP protein levels. After identifying active molecules, ongoing experiments are aimed to explore the effects of the identified drugs on the oncogenic properties of tumour cells.

Were there any networking highlights you’d like to mention?

During the conference I could meet many PhD students and postdoctoral researchers who shared with me their experience in cancer research. I was surprised to know that many of them have had experimental issues similar to mine. I could find that science, and in particular cancer research, is universal and people all over the world have the same experimental and technical problems. I think that research should be more collaborative and people who work on the same topic should share their issues with each other in order to reach the final goal first.

How was this conference different from others you have attended?

I have only attended a smaller conference in Italy before. As a national PhD meeting that one was mainly focused on Italian PhD students works. Differently, in this conference I could attend many talks by senior researchers that work in the top research institutes around the world. I was very inspired by their discoveries and by their innovative techniques Also, the poster sessions included a lot of posters presentations describing the latest and most original research from which get a lot of ideas.

How has the conference inspired you in your research?

The conference has inspired me by different perspectives. First, I got inspiration by the work of other people; they performed different techniques that I am interested in and I would like to apply in my laboratory. Then, I was inspired by the talk of Andrew Ewald, researcher at the Johns Hopkins University (USA), about his own personal and professional experiences in cancer research. The main massage that I got from him was that if you clearly set a goal, and you are willing to work hard to reach it, you may achieve almost all you want. This attitude to think that all is possible was not present in many people I worked with in the past, who were used to see limitations instead of opportunities. Overall, the conference increased my desire to move to a bigger and more equipped laboratory than my current one in the next future.

Have you brought back any specific knowledge that has benefited your research?

Yes, I could learn how to overcome some tricky aspects of 3D cell cultures techniques, such as in vitro spheroids, by people that share their personal experience. Also, I uncovered the existence of organ-on-chip technology that enables to growth cell lines or organoids of your interest on a chip and evaluate the efficacy of chemotherapeutic compounds in a more reliable and controlled environment. Using this system, you can also study the mechanisms underlying cancer metastasis by connecting primary tumor with the target metastatic tissues through a fluid flow that mimics blood circulation. I would like to test this approach for my future research.

PhD Student, Institute for Physiology, Molecular Biology and Neurosciences (IFIBYNE), University of Buenos Aires

Research: My current research is focused on the study of tumour microenvironment on breast cancer progression. To better understand the complexity of cancer, it is important to study the cells and tissues that surround the tumor (the microenvironment) since it is known that has a major effect on the progression of the tumour. I’m studying specific molecules that tumor cells can release and could impact other types of cells to dissect how this communication works. In the future, this kind of investigation could be the base for developing better therapies that target both tumours and the microenvironment.

What was a personal highlight of the conference for you?

I want to highlight the nice and warm atmosphere of the conference, both during the talks and the poster sessions. I liked the enthusiasm of the re-name speakers to encourage trainees to ask questions during the talks, which is something that only investigators do during the majority of the conferences. I want to remark the Meet the expert talk, carried out by Andrew Ewald, who talked to us about his scientific career. I had never seen this kind of segment in other conferences and I really enjoyed it. He gave us pieces of advice not only about the scientific career but also about interpersonal relationships at work which I consider valuable.

How was this conference different from others you have attended?

I really liked the mixture of academia and industry in this meeting and is something that I had never seen before. We had several -Industry Spotlight and Proffered Paper- talks from people from different companies that showed brand newly developed technologies and how to apply them in our research. I think these talks match well with the main topic of the conference: 3D cell cultures. There is an increased necessity to sophisticate our cell cultures in a way that could represent better the biology of cancer. Organoids, 3D scaffolds and co-cultures are examples of new characteristics that we want to incorporate in our models and definitively these kinds of sophistications need new and better technology.

Did you take part in any interesting local activities in your free time outside of the conference?

Yes! During my days in Berlin, there was occurring the Festival of Lights, where the principal monuments and buildings were projected with images during the night. I found some time to go after the conference and I really enjoyed it. The most highlighted for me were the Television tower, the Berliner Dom, Bebelplatz and the Brandenburger door. The images projected in the buildings were made by different artists and were amazing.

How has the conference inspired you in your research?

I finished the conference totally inspired by the use of 3D models. Since I currently studying the communication of cancer cells and some cells present in the tumor microenvironment, is important to incorporate to my work the tridimensionality of the system. I’m conscious that is unmanageable to carry out this kind of technology at my home lab in Argentina because is too expensive for our resources, but I definitely want to include at least one 3D approach to my future paper, probably we could do it in a collaborative work with an expertise lab on this matter.