Unlocking Cancer Drug Discovery: Why Tissue Types Matter in Novel Therapies

Cancer Research and Tissue Handling

Cancer research has been my passion since medical school. I transitioned to full-time research at the Lombardi Cancer Center in the United States. Here, I recognized the importance of standardizing tissue handling in cancer research.

Many focus on culturing conditions, but the tissue itself is often overlooked. Once removed, tissue changes at the molecular level due to ischemia, or lack of blood flow. Understanding this is crucial for developing proper tissue handling procedures.

Standardizing Tissue Processing

To understand cancer better, we must process tissue samples swiftly and carefully to maintain their integrity. Indivumed, a biotech company in Hamburg, developed standardized processes for tissue collection.

In hospitals, surgeons focus on tumor removal, while pathologists analyze the tissue afterward. The gap in time between these actions can lead to poor tissue handling, risking the sample’s quality. This can lose potential insights into new treatments.

To combat this, Indivumed places trained personnel in partner clinics worldwide. This ensures timely and proper processing of tissues. Although hospitals initially resisted due to costs and workflow changes, we provided free access to our biobank and later shared collected data for research.

Understanding Cancer through Multiomics

Cancer is complex, and studying it requires analyzing data from DNA, RNA, proteins, and phosphoproteins. The term “multiomics” is often misused. Many only analyze limited data sets.

Indivumed employs comprehensive approaches, performing whole-genome sequencing alongside other methods. This allows identification of therapeutic targets that others might miss. By comparing tumor and normal tissue from the same patient, we can track molecular changes that drive cancer. This strategy enhances drug development and reduces risks in clinical trials.

Future of Precision Medicine in Cancer Treatment

Our goal is to discover effective new therapies faster. We use the data collected to guide treatments for individual patients. This approach is set to significantly affect future cancer therapies.

Working in this field requires flexibility and an understanding of hospital culture. Collaboration is essential. With perseverance, we hope to achieve more breakthroughs in cancer treatment.