Animation Cancer and Metastasis

Client: Deutsche Krebsstiftung

Metastasis: How cancer cells become invasive

In a new film project for the German Cancer Foundation and the German Cancer Society, I collaborated with IMAGINE! Microscopy to translate the research of Prof. Peter Friedl and his team on cancer and metastasis into an animated video.

For the video, I created highly detailed 3D animations that show the behavior and inner workings of invasive cancer cells. I combined these with impressive video microscopy images to clearly explain the exciting research processes.

The video delves deep into the molecular world and shows the complex processes that take place when cancer cells begin to detach from the tumor and migrate into healthy tissue. They use extremely sophisticated mechanisms to do this: They form a front line, adapt it as needed, change direction, move along the tissue, deform and cut it, leaving visible gaps that other cells follow. This results in the collective invasion of cancer cells.

Further videos will follow, dealing with the next stages of metastasis and research aimed at preventing these processes.

Many thanks to Katrin Mugele, Peter Friedl, Joyce Meiring, and Anna Mukha for their very inspiring collaboration.

The microscopy images are from:
Peter Friedl, MD, Ph.D
Stijn den Daas, Ph.D.
Joyce Meiring, Ph.D.
Eugene Katrukha, Ph.D.
Josiah Passmore Ph.D.
Katarina Wolf Ph.D.
Stephanie Alexander Ph.D.
Olga Ilina, Ph.D.