Glioblastoma is characterized by its highly infiltrative growth pattern, which limits the effectiveness of surgical resection and contributes to early recurrence. Improved experimental models that capture tumor infiltration at the resection margin are essential for understanding tumor–tissue interactions and for developing novel therapeutic strategies.
This medical doctoral thesis aims to develop an experimental resection model for glioblastoma based on patient-derived glioblastoma tumor organoids. The project focuses on modeling the tumor infiltration zone and its interaction with surrounding tissue, with particular emphasis on therapeutic modulation using targeted drugs. Advanced cell culture systems will be combined with high-resolution imaging techniques to analyze tumor growth, invasion dynamics, and treatment response at the microscopic level.
The experimental work will be conducted in close collaboration between the Department of Neurogenetics at the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg (Dr. Haikun Liu) and the Neurosurgical Research Laboratory at the University Hospital Mannheim. The project will employ state-of-the-art cell culture methods and imaging approaches, including multiphoton microscopy, to enable spatially resolved analysis of tumor architecture, invasion patterns, and drug effects within the modeled resection and infiltration zones.
Mobility between the Heidelberg and Mannheim campuses is required and considered an integral part of the project. The position is designed as a 12-month full-time research project and requires high motivation, strong engagement in experimental research, and interest in translational neuro-oncology.