3D hydrogel models to reveal how tumors resist cancer drugs
Multiscale hydrogel biomaterials-enabled 3D modeling of cancer drug resistance
This project builds lab-grown three-dimensional tumor models with blood-vessel networks to find why some cancers become resistant to treatments, aiming to help people with solid tumors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Maryland, College Park NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (College Park, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11299484 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers grow tiny 3D tumor pieces inside special hydrogels and assemble them with blood-vessel cells under flowing conditions to recreate the vascular and non-vascular parts of tumors. They compare drug responses between avascular micro‑tumors and the newly made vascularized 3D tumors to see how blood vessels change resistance. The work uses human cancer cell lines and engineered biomaterials and may be validated with animal cancer models. The goal is to create lab models that better mimic patients' tumors so drug testing in the lab more closely predicts real patient responses.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with solid tumors who can donate tumor tissue or whose cancer types match the models (for example breast, lung, or colon cancers) would be most relevant to this work.
Not a fit: People with blood cancers (leukemia or lymphoma) or those unable to provide tumor tissue are less likely to directly benefit from this lab-focused work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to better preclinical tests that predict which cancer drugs will work and speed development of more effective treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier 3D organoid and spheroid models have improved drug testing, but recreating full blood-vessel networks inside lab tumors to reproduce drug resistance is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
College Park, United States
- Univ of Maryland, College Park — College Park, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ou, Wenquan — Univ of Maryland, College Park
- Study coordinator: Ou, Wenquan
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.