Zeiss Lightsheet Z.1; Imaris 3D Visualization Package
Sara Pedron and Bhushan Mahadik
Brendan Harley Laboratory
Funded by the NSF, NIH, and Mayo Clinic-University of Illinois Alliance
The small drops seen in this image are living cancer cells seeded within a hydrogel composed of gelatin and a gradated concentration of hyaluronic acid. Cells are treated with a current anti-cancer drug and their response is tested by counting cells that are alive (colored green) and those that are dead (colored red). Patients with glioblastoma multiforme, the most aggressive form of primary brain tumor, have a very poor prognosis. Tests of anti-cancer drugs in setups that replicate the tumor microenvironment are a critical tool in cancer research.