FLIM Assessment of Microdosing in Ex vivo NSCLC (FLAME)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
FLIM Assessment of Microdosing in Ex vivo NSCLC (FLAME)
IRAS ID
363081
Contact name
Ahsan Akram
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Edinburgh
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
n/a, n/a
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
ung cancer is the most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and most cases are a type called non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Current treatments, including chemotherapy, targeted drugs, and immunotherapy, can help some patients, but many do not respond or eventually develop resistance. Predicting which treatments will work for individual patients is challenging, and testing new drug combinations using traditional clinical trials is slow, expensive, and often unsuccessful.
This study aims to test new ways of quickly understanding how NSCLC tumours respond to different drug combinations. We will use a technique called fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), which allows scientists to see how cells in a tumour change in real time when exposed to drugs. FLIM can detect early signs of whether a treatment is working, long before conventional scans or tissue analysis would show any effect.
We will apply tiny, precise doses of multiple drug combinations directly to tumour tissue removed from patients. This approach allows us to study the effects of different treatments in the tumour’s natural environment without causing side effects to the patient. We will look at how the cancer cells, immune cells, and supporting tissue respond, and map these changes across the tissue to understand variability in responses.
The information generated could help identify promising drug combinations faster, guide future personalised treatment strategies, and develop FLIM as a tool for early assessment of therapy effectiveness. Ultimately, this research aims to improve treatment selection for patients with NSCLC and speed up the development of more effective therapies.
REC name
West of Scotland REC 3
REC reference
25/WS/0149
Date of REC Opinion
11 Sep 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion