Project Overview
T-cell therapies have shown significant promise in the treatment of cancer, yet understanding how immune cells interact with tumours in real-time remains a major challenge in preclinical development.
This collaborative project investigates the effectiveness of T-cell therapies against liver cancer and osteosarcoma using advanced 3D tumour models. By comparing conventional 2D culture, standard 3D spheroid systems, and Mera™, the project aims to demonstrate the benefits of dynamic, human-relevant testing environments for immunotherapy evaluation.
The Challenge
Traditional in vitro models often fail to capture the complexity of the tumour microenvironment and the dynamic interactions between immune cells and tumour tissue. As a result, they can provide limited insight into therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of action.
More advanced platforms are needed to better understand immune-mediated tumour killing and support the development of more effective cell therapies.
The Mera™ Approach
Using Mera™, researchers can culture, treat, image, and analyse 3D tumour models within a dynamic microenvironment while monitoring treatment response in real-time.
The platform enables:
- Real-time visualisation of immune–tumour interactions
- Assessment of T-cell infiltration and cytotoxicity
- High-throughput analysis of therapeutic efficacy
- Automated longitudinal imaging and monitoring
- Comparison of treatment performance across multiple model systems
Potential Impact
This project aims to establish more predictive approaches for evaluating cell therapies and understanding immune responses within complex tumour environments.
Key outcomes include:
- Development of advanced T-cell therapy testing workflows.
- Comparison of 2D, conventional 3D, and Mera™ model systems.
- Real-time assessment of immune-mediated tumour killing.
- Improved understanding of T-cell behaviour within the tumour microenvironment.
- Generation of human-relevant data to support cell therapy development.
- Demonstration of Mera™ as a platform for personalised immunotherapy research.
By combining advanced 3D tumour modelling, dynamic flow, and automated imaging, the project seeks to improve the prediction of therapeutic efficacy and accelerate the development of next-generation cancer immunotherapies.
