Establishment and Characterization of PDAC 3D spheroids in 384-well Ultra-Low Attachment plates

• Grant number: 23/07358-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2023
• End date: December 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biology
• Principal Investigator: Pedro Luiz Porfirio Xavier
• Grantee: Maria Eduarda Goes Job
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/06305-7 - Identifying new therapeutic targets in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma by combining relevant models and approaches, AP.GR
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/00427-9 - Estabilishment and Characterization of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Organoids, BE.EP.IC

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) in vitro models, emerged as a model between in vitro cell culture and in vivo tumor,mimicking tumor heterogeneity, exposure to oxygen and nutrients, representation of cancer stem cells(CSCs), and response for treatments that are concordant with in vivo tumors. In this plan of activity, anundergraduate student (SI), in collaboration with a master's student, will establish and characterize PDAC 3D spheroids in 384-well Ultra-Low Attachment (ULA) plates. Initially, the student will be properly trained to perform all the steps during cell culture using 2D and 3D models. Then, the student will be able toperform cell culture of PDAC cell lines, evaluating morphology, and viability of cells. Finally, the student will establish and characterize optimal conditions to culture PDAC spheroids regarding optimal culture medium, cell density, period of incubation to generate spheroids, and determination of hypoxia, using 384-well ULA-plates. This first project is essential for the realization of the Scientific and Technical Challenge 1, aiming to screen more than 1,500 small-molecule inhibitors targeting specific proteins using High Content Screening (HCS) approaches in PDAC 3D spheroids.