Head of the Research Group: Dr. Tamás GARAY
Members of the Research Group: Lara BLONSKI, Vanda DÉVÉNYI, Nikolett DOBOS, András MERÉNYI, Hanna OLÁH, Dávid PITTNER, Luca SZABÓ
Contact: garay.tamas@itk.ppke.hu
The Laboratory of Translational Oncology was co-founded by the Department of Internal Medicine and Oncology of Semmelweis University and the Faculty of Information Technology and Bionics of Pázmány Péter Catholic University. Accordingly, this Laboratory has the unique opportunity to address questions arising in daily clinical routine by combining medical-biological and engineering approaches (bench-to-bedside). Similarly, scientific results can be easily transferred into the clinic to serve as a starting point for new scientific questions and for new therapeutic approaches (bedside-to-bench).
For our investigations, we have a comprehensive cell culture laboratory with cutting-edge techniques; our aim is to identify new therapeutic targets and prognostic and predictive markers (nucleic acids and proteins, extracellular vesicles) in histological tumor samples or liquid biopsies, which could be crucial for understanding tumor processes. Effects of activation and inhibition of potential target molecules are tested in tumor cell models. Particular attention is paid to changes in the migratory activity of tumor cells, as cell migration is an inevitable process during the formation of metastases.
Divergent treatment responses across migration parameters and tracking methods. Scatter plot showing log2-transformed normalized values of displacement-related versus path-related parameters for each cell line-treatment combination. Each dot represents the normalized treatment response relative to control. Gray dots indicate concordant parameter changes, red dots indicate increased displacement with decreased path-related measures, and orange dots indicate decreased displacement with increased path-related measures. Vertical and horizontal lines denote no change (log2 = 0). Right-hand panel: Bar charts summarizing the proportion of discordant responses, expressed as a percentage of all evaluated conditions. Colors correspond to those used in scatter plots. The displacement-based score is the average value of mean squared displacement (MSD), displacement (D), and maximal displacement (Max D). The path-based score is the average value of total traveled distance (TTD), velocity (V), and average velocity (AV).
Future research directions, collaboration opportunities
In collaborations, we can best serve our common goals through cellular models (migration, proliferation, and invasion assays), the analysis of clinical samples and data, and statistical analyses.
Key publications
- Bányai, G., Naszlady, M.B., Juhász, J., Horváth, A., Hegedűs, B., Garay, T. (2026). Revisiting single-cell migration parameters from 2D video microscopic measurements. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF CELL BIOLOGY
- Németh, A., Bányai, G. L., Andrészek, M., Dobos, N. K., Köllőd, C., & Garay, T. (2025). Comparison of in vitro migration assays evaluating nintedanib’s migration inhibitory effects on melanoma cells. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, 15(1), 42599.
- Németh, A., Bányai, G. L., Dobos, N. K., Kós, T., Gaál, A., Varga, Z., ... & Garay, T. (2024). Extracellular vesicles promote migration despite BRAF inhibitor treatment in malignant melanoma cells. CELL COMMUNICATION AND SIGNALING, 22(1), 282.
