Líffræðifélag Íslands - biologia.is
Líffræðiráðstefnan 2025
Erindi/veggspjald / Talk/poster V39
Höfundar / Authors: Svava Björk Pétursdóttir(1,2,3), Elísabet Arna Helgadóttir(4), Katrín Kristjánsdóttir(4), Ásgeir Thoroddsen(4), Kolbrún Pálsdóttir(4), Bylgja Hilmarsdóttir(1,2,3)
Starfsvettvangur / Affiliations: 1. Pathology Department, Landspitali University Hospital, 2. Faculty of Medicine, University of Iceland, 3. Biomedical Center, University of Iceland. 4. Gynecology department, Landspítali University Hospital
Kynnir / Presenter: Svava Björk Pétursdóttir
Ovarian Cancer is a severe disease where strategies for early detection are limited, and effective treatment options remain a challenge in advanced stages of the disease. Pathogenic mutations in DNA damage repair genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 increase the risk of ovarian cancer and can sensitise tumours for targeted therapy. For carriers of such mutations, risk-reducing surgery, where ovaries and fallopian tubes are removed, can be an option. Research has shown that patient derived organoids (PDOs) can preserve the key features of the original tumor in vitro, introducing a major possibility for advancement in cancer research. This project focuses on developing 3D PDO models from normal tissue and ovarian cancer to study the disease. Thus, the study aims to optimize a PDO culture method and characterize tumour phenotypes. Key methodologies consist of 3D cell culture, DNA sequencing and RNA/protein expression. In the project PDO cultures have been established from seven biopsies, of which two were from risk reduction surgeries and five from cancer surgeries. PDO cultures were successfully established in the majority of cases and show higher success rate in culture of normal tissue than tumour tissue. Results have also shown that PDO cultures can be passaged repeatedly in 3D cultures with consistent viability and cryopreserved for long term storage. Further work will focus on optimizing culture conditions for tumour tissue and characterization of established PDOs.