Lymphoma cells grown in this model exhibited excellent biomimetic properties compared to conventional 2D culture including (1) enhanced chemotherapy resistance, (2) suppressed rate of apoptosis, (3) upregulated expression of drug resistance genes (MDR1, MRP1, BCRP and HIF-1α), (4) elevated levels of tumor aggressiveness factors including Notch (Notch-1, -2, -3, and -4) and its downstream molecules (Hes-1 and Hey-1), VEGF and MMPs (MMP-2 and MMP-9), and (5) enrichment of a lymphoma stem cell population. The gene discussed is VEGFA; the disease is neoplasm.