The VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland and Bayer Schering Pharma AG, Germany have signed a two-year research contract to study the mode of action of Bayer Schering's preclinical cancer drugs.
As part of the contract, VTT will use its new gene and cancer biology methods such as the 3D-cell culture model, developed at VTT's Medical Biotechnology unit in Turku, Finland.
In the research, VTT will use a 3D cancer cell-culturing model that enables the study of the cells in an environment that better resembles the conditions in the human body as compared to conventional 2D cell-culture models.
The model also allows for improved analyses on the invasive and metastatic behaviour of cancer cells.
Through this methodology, VTT scientists can better predict the drug's efficacy and investigate the molecular mechanisms of action in small compounds.
VTT's Medical Biotechnology knowledge centre develops and applies research technologies for drug development and diagnostic purposes.
The focus of the unit is on identifying primary driver genes and the targets of genetic alterations in cancer.
The unit also works to find small molecule inhibitors that prevent the growth and metastasis of various types of cancer.
In addition, it develops recombinant antibody methods and plant biotechnology tools for the pharmaceutical and food industries.
