Cell Cycle

Definition: The repeating life stages a cell goes through as it grows and divides.
Example in context: Cancer cells often speed through the cell cycle, dividing more quickly than normal cells.

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Drug Resistance

Definition: When cancer cells stop responding to treatment.
Example in context: A tumor may shrink at first, but over time develop drug resistance and start growing again.

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In Vitro

Definition: Latin for “in glass” — experiments done outside the body, such as in a petri dish.
Example in context: Scientists test how cancer cells respond to a drug in vitro before moving on to animal models.

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In Vivo

Definition: Latin for “in life” — experiments done inside living organisms (e.g., mice).
Example in context: A drug that works in vitro is later tested in vivo using mice to see how it works in a whole-body system.

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Spatial Multi-Omics Technologies

Definition: Advanced methods to study multiple types of biological information (like DNA, RNA, proteins) in their exact locations within a tissue.

"Multi-omics" = multiple “omics” layers (genomics, proteomics, etc.)

"Spatial" = keeping track of where things are located

Example in context: Helps researchers see how different parts of a tumor behave, not just the average.

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Systems Biology

Definition: The study of how different parts of a biological system (genes, proteins, cells) interact to produce complex behaviors.
Example in context: Like studying an entire orchestra instead of just one instrument, systems biology looks at how genes and proteins work together.

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Tumor Immunotherapy

Definition: A cancer treatment that helps the body’s immune system detect and destroy cancer cells.
Example in context: Drugs might help immune cells find and attack tumors or train them to recognize cancer cells.

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Tumor Spheroid

Definition: A 3D ball of cancer cells grown in the lab to mimic a real tumor.
Example in context: Tumor spheroids are used to test how treatments affect solid tumors in 3D environments.