Projects & Grants
| Development of in vitro Bone Marrow Organoids for Modeling Multiple Myeloma | |
|---|---|
| Project Id | SGS23/LF/2026 |
| Main solver | Mgr. Maxima Warmuzová |
| Period | 1/2026 - 12/2026 |
| Provider | Specifický VŠ výzkum |
| State | solved |
| Anotation | Multiple myelom (MM) is a malignant plasma cell disorder characterized by uncontrolled proliferation in the bone marrow, immune system dysregulation, development of osteolytic lesions, and high patient mortality despite advances in targeted therapies. A major limitation in MM research is the lack of experimental models that accurately replicate the complex bone marrow microenvironment, which comprises stromal, hematopoietic, and immune cells, extracellular matrix components, and physiological nutrient and oxygen gradients. These factors critically influence tumor cell proliferation, migration, phenotypic plasticity, and drug resistance, which cannot be effectively studied using traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture systems. Organoids are modern three-dimensional (3D) in vitro culture systems that exhibit a high degree of self-organization and replicate the architecture and functional dynamics of human tissues. Compared to 2D models, organoids provide a more physiologically relevant environment with greater cellular heterogeneity and enable the investigation of interactions between tumor cells and their microenvironment under conditions that closely mimic the in vivo state. These properties make organoids a highly promising tool for studying MM pathogenesis and evaluating antitumor therapeutics. The aim of this project is to generate bone marrow organoids (BM-O) from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), perform their comprehensive morphological and molecular characterization, and subsequently integrate fluorescently labeled MM tumor cells. The study will focus on monitoring tumor cell proliferation, invasiveness, and cell?microenvironment interactions within the 3D system and comparing these features with conventional 2D culture. This project represents an important advance in personalized cancer modeling, with the potential to reduce reliance on animal studies and provide a basis for developing new therapeutic strategies for multiple myeloma. |
| Total Costs | 265 100 CZK |
