Dr. Richard Eglen heading up thought leadership, research community engagement
Imagine doctors finding the best treatment for a patient’s illness by testing different options on that person’s own cells – only all outside of their body. Or researchers finding the dangerous side effects of a new drug long before it goes to trial on animal or human subjects – testing thousands of options at once to find the safest and most effective solution. These are some of the promising benefits of 3D cell culture and they have researchers and academia across the life sciences industry eager to learn more.
What is 3D cell culture? In simple terms, it’s a way to do research in an environment that is more similar to the environment in the human body. Instead of doing research with cells that are grown on a flat, 2D surface (picture your high school lab’s petri dishes), scientists can grow these cells in a 3D structure, similar to how they are growing in your body. It provides a much closer simulation than anything offered through other techniques, including non-human test subjects. A growing collection of positive data coming from 3D cell culture is building tremendous interest right now. And that is driving even more promising results as more researchers transition to this technique.
As this wave keeps building, Corning is sharing the knowledge and experience that come from three decades pioneering this field. Dr. Richard Eglen, vice president and general manager of Corning Life Sciences, is heading up outreach as we work closely with customers and engage research communities. He is co-authoring papers and just wrapped up a tour around the world. Below, Dr. Eglen shares some insight on why 3D cell culture is making big headlines today.