Label-Free Raman Approaches for Patient-Specific Biochemical Tumor Mapping to Monitor Personalized Anticancer Resistance Simulation

RAMPART aims to address the significant clinical challenge of tumor resistance to anticancer therapies, a key factor contributing to treatment failure and decreased patient survival, particularly in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC). The project’s primary objective is to develop a label-free, nondestructive and rapid methodology using Raman and multimodal imaging to identify biomarkers of tumor resistance, by monitoring the biochemical responses of ex vivo patient-derived tumor slices to both immunotherapy and radiotherapy.
To do so, RAMPART will employ cutting-edge Raman spectroscopy, including both spontaneous (SR) and a multimodal microscope (SRS-TPEF-SHG), to perform high-resolution biomolecular mapping and imaging of patient-derived tumor samples. This approach allows for precise detection of biomolecular changes within the tumor microenvironment (TME), offering a comprehensive understanding of the factors driving therapy resistance. The project will be conducted at Politecnico di Milano (main host), and two secondments at Jena University Hospital (UKJ) and Johns Hopkins University (JHU), where I will prepare patient-derived HNSCC slices.
The relevance of RAMPART lies in its potential to significantly enhance clinical decision-making in HNSCC oncology, advancing the state-of-the-art in tumor evaluation, with label-free and nondestructive approaches for biomolecular tumor imaging.
By establishing a protocol for the early detection of resistance biomarkers, the project will enable rapid, personalized treatment strategies tailored to individual patients, driving to decision-making time of 5-7 days. Additionally, the insights gained into tumor heterogeneity and the TME will contribute to a more profound understanding of their roles in treatment outcomes. The project’s findings are expected to potentially impact on the field of precision medicine, ultimately improving survival rates and quality of life for patients with HNSCC.