PROJECT LIBRA
Could a blood test one day help doctors diagnose childhood cancers more accurately, monitor treatment effectiveness, and select more personalized therapies? These are the questions researchers involved in the LiBRha project (Liquid Biopsy for Rhabdomyosarcoma) are seeking to answer. The project focuses on advancing the diagnosis of soft tissue sarcomas in children.
One of the key areas of research is liquid biopsy, a technique that enables the analysis of tumor DNA circulating in a patient’s bloodstream. In the future, this approach could support more accurate monitoring of disease progression, assessment of treatment response, and the development of therapies tailored to individual patients’ needs.
The team at the Medical University of Lodz, led by Prof. Wojciech Młynarski from the Department of Pediatrics, Oncology and Hematology, plays an important role in the project. The Lodz-based researchers are responsible for advancing comprehensive histopathological and molecular diagnostics and establishing a nationwide biobank of biological samples. This is a significant step towards building a shared research infrastructure that will enable advanced analyses and support the development of new diagnostic methods.
The LiBRha project is carried out by a consortium led by Wroclaw Medical University, whose team is headed by Prof. Bernarda Kazanowska. The consortium partners are the Medical University of Lodz and the Foundation for Children with Cancer (Fundacja Na Ratunek Dzieciom z Chorobą Nowotworową), which is responsible for developing the clinical data management system.
The project is funded by the Polish Medical Research Agency (Agencja Badań Medycznych).
How are soft tissue sarcomas diagnosed in children? What is liquid biopsy, and what new possibilities could it open up for modern medicine?
UMED Science is a video series dedicated to making scientific research more accessible by showcasing projects involving researchers from the Medical University of Lodz. We introduce the people behind scientific discoveries, highlight innovative technologies, and explore research with the potential to shape the future of medicine. By explaining complex scientific topics in a clear and accessible way, we show how work carried out in laboratories and research centers can contribute to advances in diagnostics, treatment, and patient care.
