Neuroectodermal tumours include some of the most common and deadly malignancies of children. Relapse is the main cause of death and the outmost challenge in treatment is to inhibit spread and relapse. Neuroblastoma comprises a spectrum of embryonic tumours of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system. The group of neuroblastoma generally show a high degree of inter- and intra-tumoural heterogeneity on the genetic as well as phenotypic levels, with unique abilities to either spontaneously differentiate/regress, or to develop aggressive metastatic phenotypes.

This project aims to increase knowledge to understand intra-tumour variations for chemotherapy response. Chemotherapy is central for high-risk neuroblastoma therapy and response has been associated with outcome. The project involves testing cell lines of high-risk neuroblastoma following doxorubicin chemotherapy. Mapping of regrowth from resilient tumour cells will be performed using immunocytochemistry (high content imaging with markers for apoptosis, cell death, proliferation, cell cycle and DNA-index); as well as live-FACS.

Main techniques used: Cell culturing, immunocytochemistry, BrdU and EdU staining, TUNEL, live-cell FACS, FISH and Metafer analysis (using a microscope scanning system for single cell automated quantitative high through-put measurements).