A Bioengineered Microenvironment Model of Prostate Cancer to Study Cancer Angiogenesis

Abstract
This research project aims towards a better understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms of angiogenesis in a 3D bioengineered model of Prostate Cancer (PCa). Current research models are often based on 2D monoculture techniques which fail to represent the complex tumor microenvironment in situ composed of extracellular matrix and numerous cell types providing biochemical and biophysical signals, contributing to malignant transformation. Adequate in vitro tumor vascularization models are becoming increasingly important for PCa research, development of new targeted therapies, as well as identification of predictive key biomarkers.