PAIR - Pre-clinicAl Ion beam Research

Kurzbezeichnung

PAIR - Pre-clinicAl Ion beam Research

Einrichtung Vetmeduni

Zentrum für Biologische Wissenschaften

Art der Forschung

Grundlagenforschung

Forschungsschwerpunkt

Translationale Medizin und vergleichende Medizin

Abstract

Pre-clinical research in the context of ion beam therapy is currently experiencing rapid development due to several key developments: (1) the upcoming 3D tumor models/spheroids that complement the traditionally used 2D cell line models, (2) availability of advanced in-vivo models with more clinically relevant tumor environments, and (3) the availability of technology that allows precise radiation targeting, including integrated and/or complementary functional imaging methods that allow to implement a preclinical workflow that mimics advanced radiation oncology practice in an experimental setting.The objective of the PAIR programme is to introduce novel approaches (e.g. ultra-high field micro MRI, bioinformatic approaches, proteomics) in pre-clinical research in ion beam therapy and to explore their potential in order to fill existing knowledge gaps both at the mechanistic and the methodological level.The PAIR programme builds on existing ion beam research achievements of the last years in Austria and enlarges the Austrian ion beam research spectrum by integrating the above-mentioned key developments, i.e. 3D tumor models/spheroids with subsequent molecularbiological methods, complemented by in-vivo models (animal model) linked with advanced imaging enabled by an ultra-high field (UHF) strength MRI. The advantages of an UHF micro MRI for both morphologic and functional imaging for tissue characterization and response assessment have so far not been widely explored in pre-clinical research in the context of ion beam therapy.