In Vitro 3D Tissue Microenvironments
Tissue microenvironments are influenced by many mechanical, chemical and cellular processes which cannot be depicted in 2D cell culture. We are developing highly sophisticated 3D models of various tissue microenvironments in order to more accurately mimic cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions which occur during normal and malignant development. A major focus of our lab is endothelial cell heterogeneity and tumour angiogenesis. Through these culture models, we hope to gain a deeper understanding of the role of the microenvironment in directing cell fate and during disease development. These models have the potential to be utilised as research platforms for fundamental biological studies, as a drug testing platform for pre-clinical trials, and can be used to study novel therapeutic targets for cancer patients.