Science

Scientific foundation.

Defined agarose geometry underpins both Thom-Med products. The Invasion Assay is described in a peer-reviewed publication; Aga Cup-specific publications are in preparation.

Scientific foundation

Immobilization and medium access shape readouts.

In 3D tissue-culture models, placement, contact area and diffusion path influence reproducibility. The Aga Cup addresses these physical variables: the tissue sample is immobilized on the dish floor, culture medium is held in the inner well and soluble factors diffuse through the hydrogel toward the tissue sample.

ResearchGate

Dr. med. Andreas Thomsen

University Medical Center Freiburg, Department of Radiation Oncology

Medical doctor and researcher at University Medical Center Freiburg, working in the context of radiation oncology, tumor biology and 3D cell culture.

Radiation oncology
Cancer cell biology
3D cell culture

Open ResearchGate Related research context: agarose-based 3D culture systems and 3D CoSeedis at abc biopply.

Real results

Cell outgrowth under the Aga Cup.

Microscope images from cultures set up with the Aga Cup: cells grow out from immobilized tissue explants – from liver and bone marrow to gingiva.

Phase-contrast time series: cells growing out from a human liver explant over five days. — Liver · phase contrast
Human liver explant on day 0, 3 and 5. The cells grow out from the tissue.
Image: Thom-Med

Dark-field image of a bone marrow explant with a ring of outgrowing stromal cells. — Bone marrow · dark field
Bone marrow explant with outgrowing stromal cells, dark field.
Image: Thom-Med

Phase contrast: densely grown, spindle-shaped bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells. — Bone marrow · 10×
Bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells, 2D culture (10×).
Image: Thom-Med

Phase contrast: fibroblasts migrating outward in all directions from a tissue explant. — Connective tissue · 4×
Connective-tissue cells (fibroblasts), 4×. Outgrowth from the explant.
Image: Thom-Med

Phase contrast: epithelial keratinocytes in a cobblestone pattern at the edge of a gingiva explant. — Gingiva · keratinocytes
Keratinocytes from human gingiva.
Image: Thom-Med

Phase contrast: a colony of human gingiva cells with cells migrating outward. — Gingiva · 4×
Human gingiva before fixation, 4×.
Image: Thom-Med

Phase contrast: a closed epithelial sheet of human gingiva next to a tissue fragment. — Gingiva · fixed
Human gingiva, fixed. Epithelial cells next to a tissue fragment.
Image: Thom-Med

Phase contrast: a dense, single-layer epithelial sheet of human gingiva. — Gingiva · fixed
Human gingiva, fixed. Confluent epithelial layer.
Image: Thom-Med

Publications

Sources and references.

These entries place Thom-Med's agarose-based technology in scientific context, including the peer-reviewed Invasion Assay publication (Methods and Protocols, 2026).

Methods and Protocols / 2026

Agarose-based 3D invasion assay for simultaneous quantification of tumor cell invasion and extracellular matrix degradation

Read source

Lab on a Chip / 2018

Agarose-based chip for the culture of adherent cells under flow conditions

Link pending

ResearchGate / 2020

Modelling pancreatic cancer cell interaction with tumor stroma

Link pending

Uniklinik Freiburg / Press

Mini-tumor cultivation and the agarose-based research foundation

Link pending

Collaboration sites

Sites in progress.

The map shows research sites and collaborations around the continued development of hydrogel-based 3D culture.

The markers show confirmed research and collaboration sites; the network keeps growing.

Ruhr University Bochum

Bochum, Germany

University Medical Center Freiburg

Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

Technical University of Munich

München, Germany

abc biopply ag

Allschwil, Switzerland

Research use

Bring a Thom-Med product into your lab.

Share your application and the product you have in mind — Thom-Med will coordinate the request and protocol context with you.

Request Aga Cups