Patrick Sandoz
My research group focuses on pioneering interdisciplinary approaches to unravel the structural complexities and signalling dynamics within the cellular microenvironment. Our specific interest lies in understanding the architecture and the biophysical properties within the tumour microenvironments, exploring how they fundamentally influence the immune responses, disease progression and therapeutic outcomes.
To achieve this, we specialize in developing advanced multicellular microphysiological systems that replicate these microenvironments with high fidelity and capture molecular and biophysical signatures. By incorporating biomimetic materials and diverse cell types, our models enable the study of key processes in cancer progression, including molecular signal diffusion, mechanical stress, immune cell infiltration, and metastatic niche formation. Furthermore, our work emphasizes the role of innate-like T cells, such as γδ T cells, in immune responses and explores their activation and functionality in their physiological microenvironment. These MHC-unrestricted cells play important roles as first responders and helper cells in cancer and various types of infection, making them promising candidates for developing novel therapeutic strategies.
By combining materials science, microsystem engineering, cancer biology, immunology, and computational modelling, we aim to address the challenges of recreating the intricate three-dimensional architecture of multicellular environments. Our interdisciplinary work uncovers novel insights into the spatiotemporal dynamics of cancer cell signalling and immune responses, advancing fundamental biological knowledge and driving personalized therapy development. Ultimately, our approach reduces reliance on animal models and expands the potential of smart cell-culture systems for biomedical research.
Group Members
Interested in joining the team? Please reach out!
Master’s, PhD and Postdoc positions will be opening soon!