Alice Evans

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive form of pancreatic cancer for which there are limited therapeutic interventions. In order to develop therapies and determine individual patient response it is vital to develop physiologically representative models. Ex vivo culture of pancreatic tumor slices fulfills this requirement by maintaining the structural integrity and cellular diversity of the tumor, including stromal cell populations and resident immune cells. Dynamic perfusion culture improves tissue viability over traditional static culture, expanding the scope for testing this novel pre-clinical model. We are developing a platform to allow live imaging of PDAC tumour slices interacting with CAR-T cells in order to better understand patient responses to cellular therapies. We will use this platform to help optimise a therapy currently in preclinical testing in collaboration with a biotechnology partner.

I graduated from The University of Oxford with a first in Biomedical Sciences, focusing on Immunology, Virology and Oncology. I have previously worked with The University of Birmingham, researching the dynamics of the PEAR1 pathway of platelet aggregation in the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences. I also undertook a project at The Dunn School of Pathology using iPSC-derived macrophages to investigate the role of STING activation in neural inflammation in Parkinson's disease. I am currently a third year PhD student and work for an Oxford startup.