What if the aggressiveness of a tumor were determined by the position of its cells? Italian researchers Antonio Iavarone and Anna Lasorella, who are leading research at the University of Miami's Sylvester Cancer Center, have discovered novel mechanisms that underlie the aggressiveness of brain tumors through the application of AI. Machine learning and technologies such as spatial transcriptomics have revolutionized tumor research by facilitating data analysis with unparalleled speed and precision. During an interview with Antonio Santamato of the Leonardo Foundation, Antonio Iavarone, full professor at the University of Miami and deputy director of the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, stated, "In this study, we employed technologies that had never been used before, which enabled us to study gene activity within each individual tumor cell while preserving spatial information about the tumor". "Spatial transcriptomics allows us to study the tumor in its three-dimensionality and to understand these genes and identify new therapeutic targets: it's a true revolution". The study's findings indicate that not all tumor cells act in the same way: some remain clustered, while others spread into healthy tissue. The placement of the cells within the tumor influences the response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.