Within Translational Pharmacology and Drug Discovery one group focuses on applying and improving innovative, patient-derived 3D tissue models and microphysiological systems, in combination with data-driven, computational approaches to identify new therapeutic targets and unravel the molecular networks underlying crosstalk in health and metabolic disease. Creating predictive, adaptive and mechanistically transparent platforms will accelerate discovery and improve translational fidelity by providing clinically actionable insights that directly address unmet needs in the treatment of metabolic disease. A second group builds on the direct use of primary human tumor tissue to create advanced tumor models including organoids, slice cultures, and microfluidic systems. These are used to assess niche-specific interactions between the stroma, immune system and the tumor, with the aim of identifying targetable biomarkers in selected cancers. Integrated, multi-organ metastasis-on-chip platforms, the strict integration of patient and follow-up data, and innovative omics technologies (e.g. 2D multiplex imaging) enable the elucidation of novel cancer agents provided by collaborating academic and industrial partners, thereby promoting precision oncology information in a timely manner for the initiation of early clinical trials. Notably, the close collaboration between the two groups is a unique selling point, as it allows for interfacing non-tumor and tumor tissue models, enabling a better understanding of inter-organ communication at the intersection of cancer, metabolic disease and beyond.
