About the project
This project aims to investigate the bioelectric heterogeneity of colorectal cancer (CRC) and its correlation with bowel diseases and drug response, using quantum diamond microscopy (QDM).
We will utilize nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond to image the spatial distribution of bioelectric fields within CRC organoids derived from established cell lines, such as HCT116 or HT-29, and patient-derived samples. By correlating bioelectric signatures with drug sensitivity profiles, we aim to identify novel biomarkers for predicting treatment response and pave the way for personalized CRC therapy.
QDM imaging will be performed using a custom-built wide-field microscope with a spatial resolution of < 1 µm. Organoid drug response will be assessed using cell viability assays and correlated with spatially resolved bioelectric data using machine learning algorithms. This project will provide fundamental insights into the role of bioelectricity in CRC, and establish QDM as a powerful tool for drug screening and personalized medicine.
Our group has previously pioneered the field of in vitro cancer bioelectricity by discovering that highly metastatic cancer cells fire voltage spikes at frequencies > 100 Hz, paving the way toward the study of cancer signalling using bioelectricity, as well as developing bioelectricity-based cancer diagnostics methods.
