Exploring the clinical and societal impact of 3D imaging technology
Project Summary
3D imaging is essential to visualize the complex cellular composition of tissues and can generate critical insight into tumor biology. Employing a 3D imaging technology developed in my lab to profil the millions of cells present within tissue, we decoded the cellular heterogeneity of Wilms Tumor – a pediatric kidney cancer and discovered previously unrecognized populations of tumor cells. In this project, I will explore whether this 3D imaging tool has the power to detect additional aggressive cell profiles that could be of importance for diagnosis and thereby treatment guidance and optimization. In addition, I will exploit the captivating power of 3D imaging, by translating 3D data into artistic visualizations to engage the public into our fight against cancer. Supported by the unique interdisciplinary environment of NIAS, these goals have the potential to transform the pathology field beyond Wilms tumor diagnosis, and create novel and unconventional tools for scientific communication.