Imaging the forces driving cancer: from material characterisation to 3D model systems

Biomaterials are central in the development of personalized medical technologies targeting regenerative therapies or diagnostic methods. In addition to direct clinical applications, biomaterials play a key role in the development of advanced 3D tissue and disease models. However, insufficient knowledge of how material properties affect cellular behaviour hinders the rational design of new biomimetic synthetic scaffolds. In my future research I will develop methods to characterize the mechanical and structural properties of biomimetic materials at the subcellular level. Given the increasing interest on the role of mechanical forces in cancer progression, I will use the developed methods to investigate the importance of cell-induced matrix remodelling in tissue invasion, in particular, the physical remodelling driven by cancer associated fibroblasts. This project will induce a paradigm shift in the synthesis of biomimetic materials and development of 3D tumour models.