Tumor Organoids Preclinical Models Dream Team - Stand Up To Cancer

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SU2C–Dutch Cancer Society
Tumor Organoids Dream Team:
A New Preclinical Model for Drug Sensitivity Analysis

Grant Term: April 2014–April 2019

The SU2C-Dutch Cancer Society Tumor Organoids Dream Team developed a groundbreaking technology that allows tumor samples isolated from patients to be maintained and grown in the laboratory setting. These growing tumors, which are called “tumor organoids,” provide an unprecedented opportunity to combine DNA sequence analyses with functional studies of tumors from individual patients. Most importantly, these tumor organoids will allow studies of sensitivity and resistance to a large number of anticancer drugs in the lab.

Supported by:

ABOUT THIS TEAM’S RESEARCH

The promise of precision medicine lies in the ability of researchers to devise treatment approaches that are specific to the genetic profile of individual patients and their tumors. However, predicting which drug, or drug combination, will be the most effective based on the genetic makeup of a tumor remains a challenge. In order to investigate the consequence of all the DNA changes that contribute to cancer progression, and how they can be targeted by drugs, this Dream Team developed a groundbreaking technology, called “tumor organoids” that allows tumor samples isolated from patients to be maintained and grown, in the laboratory setting. Importantly, these tumor organoids will allow studies of sensitivity and resistance to a large number of anticancer drugs in the lab. The ultimate goal of this Team is to design novel, more sophisticated clinical trials that will test treatment regimens tailored to a patient’s tumor. If widely adopted, this Dream Team project has the potential to provide a true paradigm shift in our current approach to drug development, clinical trial design, and therapy.

MEET THE TEAM

The top scientists and researchers on the SU2C–DCS Tumor Organoids Dream Team come from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines, which leads them to great insights upon collaboration. Learn more about the SU2C–DCS Tumor Organoids Dream Team.

Dream Team Members

Hans Clevers, MD, PhD
Hubrecht Institute
Leader

Johannes Bos, PhD
University Medical Center Utrecht
Co-leader

Sir Michael Stratton, MD
Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute
Principal Investigator

Lodewyk Wessels, PhD
Netherlands Cancer Institute
Principal Investigator

Johan H. van Es, PhD
Hubrecht Institute
Project Manager

Pauline Evers
Leven Met Kanker
Advocate

Jeannette Janzen
Leven Met Kanker
Advocate

Margreet Jonker
Leven Met Kanker
Advocate

Catherine Transler
Leven Met Kanker
Advocate

“Our goal [is] to use a recently developed technology that allows tumors to be grown in the laboratory to develop a large ‘living biobank’ for colon, pancreatic, and prostate cancers. We expect to be able to use this biobank to identify new drugs and drug combinations for evaluation in clinical trials.”

Hans Clevers, MD, PhD
Hubrecht Institute

TEAM PROGRESS UPDATES

Stand Up To Cancer’s research projects are designed to foster collaborative, swift translational research. The hallmarks of these efforts include rigorous application and selection procedures, sufficient funding to allow scientists to focus on the objectives of the grant, and reviews by senior scientists every six months. These reviews help the investigators capitalize on the latest findings, address potential roadblocks, and collaboratively evolve as the science requires. Please click on the link to see summaries of research results so far for the SU2C–DCS Tumor Organoids Dream Team.

TEAM PROGRESS UPDATES

PUBLICATIONS

A living biobank of breast cancer organoids captures disease heterogeneity
Norman Sachs, Emile Eugene Voest, Hans Clevers, et al. (2018)
Cell, Volume 172, Issue 1, 373 - 386.e10.
Use of CRISPR-modified human stem cell organoids to study the origin of mutational signatures in cancer.
Jarno Drost, Hans Clevers, et al. (2017)
Science 13 Oct 2017: Vol. 358, Issue 6360, pp. 234-238.

CLINICAL TRIAL REFERRALS

Cancer clinical trials allow researchers to study innovative and potentially life-saving new treatments. The goal is to find treatments that are better than what’s currently available; in fact, the therapies offered to today’s cancer patients were almost all studied and made possible by people participating in clinical trials. But many cancer clinical trials aren’t completed because not enough people take part.

At StandUpToCancer.org/ClinicalTrials, you’ll find clinical trial information, answers to common questions, and a free clinical trial finder tool.

LEARN MORE

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