Erasmus+ internship of Vendula Švandová at Natalia Maciejewska's laboratory | Faculty of Chemistry at the Gdańsk University of Technology

From October 1 to Novembe7r 30, 2026, Vendula Švandová, a PhD researcher from Brno, Czech Republic, is undertaking an Erasmus+ research stay in the laboratory of Dr. Eng. Natalia Maciejewska at the Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Poland.

The primary objective of her research stay is to investigate the anticancer activity of brusatol and gemcitabine, administered both individually and in combination, using advanced in ovo experimental models and three-dimensional (3D) cell culture systems.

A key component of the research involves the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay, which provides an experimental platform for evaluating antitumor activity. Pancreatic cancer xenografts will be established on the CAM to investigate tumor responses to the tested compounds and assess the potential therapeutic benefits of their combined administration.

In parallel, the project will focus on organoids derived from chicken embryonic tissues and spheroids generated from pancreatic cancer cells. Particular attention will be given to developing a co-culture model that enables the investigation of interactions between cancer cells and their surrounding microenvironment, as well as the evaluation of treatment efficacy.

Fluorescence and confocal microscopy will be employed to characterize morphological changes, examine the three-dimensional organization of cellular structures, and assess cellular responses to the investigated compounds.

This research stay strengthens international scientific collaboration and contributes to the development of advanced preclinical models for investigating novel therapeutic strategies against pancreatic cancer.