For Raquel Herranz, collaborating with the Queensland Bladder Cancer Initiative (QBCI) not only offered new knowledge and experience but the chance to create fresh hope for bladder cancer patients.
Raquel is a part of Spain based research team The Haemostasis, Thrombosis, Arteriosclerosis and Vascular Biology Research Group at The Health Research Institute Hospital La Fe, based in the city of Valencia.
She spent time with the QBCI, based at the Translation Research Institute on the PA Hospital campus in 2024, learning how to make bladder cancer organoids so that they could be used in her group’s research to study the crosstalk between bladder cancer and one type of immune cells called neutrophils.
Organoids are tiny 3D models of an organ grown in a lab, which function as miniature versions of real organs, from which scientists can gain valuable insights into the behavior of cancer and other serious diseases. Organoids are more human like than 2D cell cultures where most treatments are first tested by scientists.
Neutrophils use what is known as neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) to trap and kill invaders in the body, however cancer cells seem to use NETs to hide from the body's immune system, but the mechanism remains unknown. That is what Raquel’s work is focused on.
Raquel said it was the results she was getting in 2D bladder cancer lab cultures that led to her trip to Australia to learn 3D organoids with the QBCI.
“Since organoids are like tiny platforms that help scientists investigate diseases and develop new treatments, I wanted to use them to study how the immune cells, in particular neutrophils, interact with the cancer and affect treatment response,” she said.
“During my research in Spain I have studied the role of neutrophils in bladder cancer in 2D cell culture. We discovered that NETs levels are increased in bladder cancer patients compared to healthy individuals. They also seem to be involved in bladder cancer progression, and since we are getting promising results, we wanted to go one step further and jump into 3D cultures.
“But my group did not have the knowledge in 3D cultures so, for that reason, this stay was meant to bring together the knowledge of my laboratory group in Spain and the group in Australia and to establish a collaboration.
“Studying NETs is crucial because it could lead to more effective treatments. Developing drugs that block NET formation or neutralize their harmful effects could improve treatment outcomes.
“Studying NETs in bladder cancer is essential for unraveling the complex relationship between the immune system and cancer. By gaining a deeper understanding of this process, scientists can work towards developing innovative therapies that improve the lives of patients with bladder cancer.
“I'm excited to share that our research has yielded some promising results and we're working hard to put them together and hopefully publish our results soon.”
More than 3100 Australians are estimated to have received a bladder cancer diagnosis in 2023, with just 57% of those cases being likely to survive beyond five years, the work of the QBCI is key to improving outcomes for patients and their families.
With the QBCI having received funding support on numerous occasions from the PA Research Foundation and its donors, Raquel said those who give to the charity should not underestimate the impact of their giving.
“Research is vital for progress. And when it comes to health, research is especially critical. It's the key to unlocking the mysteries of diseases, developing life-saving treatments, and improving quality of life,” Raquel said.
“However, research is strongly underfunded due to limited government funding, corporate priorities that are driven by profit, and also public misconceptions, leading to decreased public support.
“Scientists in academia often work long hours in demanding environments. Also, academic careers can be unstable, as positions are often temporary or contingent on securing grants and funding, following the culture of “publish or perish”, which leads to a high level of stress and work-life imbalance.
“This creates a sense of job insecurity that makes it difficult for scientists to plan for their future and maintain their motivation and creativity to come up with new project ideas.
“By funding research and supporting scientists, charitable foundations contribute to a more stable and rewarding scientific community. This increased funding can lead to higher salaries, promoting job security, and enable scientists to have more resources that can help drive innovation, develop new treatments, and improve public health.”
You can support bladder cancer research by the QBCI by donating here.
