Advanced Clinician Scientist-Programm 2025

Thema: "In-ovo Imaging Using Ostrich Eggs as an Alternative for Classic Animal Research – Method Refinement and Development of Disease-specific Models"

Zusammenfassung:
This research application aims at the development of a tumor and an inflammation model in ostrich embryos. These models can be used for preclinical imaging and thus, contribute to the development of anti-neoplastic and anti-inflammation therapies. Prior work has shown feasibility and technical success of in-ovo imaging using ostrich eggs using few radiopharmaceuticals for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging; however, only addressing physiological conditions. Thus, this research application seeks to develop disease-specific models to be used in oncology and inflammation research. As exemplary tumor model, it is planned to use U87 glioblastoma cells and patient-derived xenografts to show anti-neoplastic effect of temozolomide. Regarding inflammation experiments, it is planned to induce local sterile inflammation, local infection and systemic infection. Choosing ostrich embryos for this model is based on two main advantages: First, it is not considered animal testing and it complies with 3-R-principles of modern animal welfare. Second, intraembryonal structures and organs of ostrich embryos are large enough to be depicted on imaging devices (e.g. PET, SPECT, CT, MRI) used in clinical routine examinations in humans, thus bypassing the need for dedicated small-animal imaging devices which are costly and require space and trained personnel.