Basic Concepts on 3D Cell Culture

This textbook shall introduce the students to 3D cell culture approaches and applications. An overview on existing techniques and equipment is provided and insight into various aspects and challenges that researchers need to consider and face during culture of 3D cells is given.

The reader will learn the importance of physiological cell, tissue and organ models and gains important knowledge on 3D analytics.

This textbook deepens selected aspects of the textbook "Cell Culture Technology", which also is published in this series, while offering extended insight into 3D cell culture. The concept of the textbook encompasses various lectures ranging from basics in cell cultivation, tissue engineering, biomaterials and biocompatibility, in vitro test systems and regenerative medicine. The textbook addresses Master- and PhD students interested and/or working in the field of modern cell culture applications and will support the understanding of the essential strategies in 3D cell culture and waken awareness for the potentials and challenges of this application.

Cornelia Kasper studied Chemistry at the University Hannover and received her Diploma degree 1994. After PhD at the Institute for Technical Chemistry 1998 she was employed as EU liason officer at the University of Hannover. In 2007 she received Habilitation. 2000-2011 Cornelia Kasper has been head of Cell Culture and Tissue Engineering Group at the Institute for Technical Chemistry, Leibniz University of Hannover and head of young researcher group JRG "Large Scale Cultivation" within Cluster of Excellence "Rebirth" (from Regenerative Biology and Reconstructive Therapies). Since October 2011 Cornelia Kasper has been appointed as University Professor "Cell and Tissue Culture Technology" at the Department of Biotechnology at BOKU. The focus in her research group is the isolation, characterization, expansion and differentiation of human primary/progenitor and stem cells. For the expansion and guided differentiation she develops optimized strategies and bioprocesses for 3 D cell culture conditions mimicking physiological environment generating functional cells for tissue engineering and cell based therapies and 3 D test systems under defined and controlled dynamic conditions.

Antonina Lavrentieva is a group leader at the Institute of Technical Chemistry, Leibniz University of Hannover, working in the field of stem cell research, biotesting and tissue engineering. In her second PhD Thesis, she studied methods of expanding mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in bioreactors, as well as the influence of hypoxia on the MSCs. She studied Biology and Life Science at Moscow State University and the University of Hannover. She also defended a PhD Thesis in Physiology. Her current research interests include stem cell media optimization, 3D cell culture, gradient hydrogels for studying cell niches and 3D-bioprinting.

Dominik Egger is a postdoctoral researcher and Deputy of the Institute of Cell and Tissue Culture Technologies at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU). He received his master degree in Life Science at the Leibniz University of Hannover and continued his doctoral studies on the conceptual implementation of physiologic culture conditions for human stem cells. He finished his PhD studies with highest honors by 2017. Currently, he is investigating new approaches for the isolation, expansion and directed differentiation of human stem cells to improve their therapeutic effects. His special interest and expertise are on 3D cell culture, biomaterials, and bioreactor technology.