Center creating diverse cancer models from patient tumors

University of California and UT Southwestern D-PDTC

['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS · NIH-11212137

This project will build tumor models from people of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds and use them to try approved drugs and drug combinations for advanced cancers.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_OTHER']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT DAVIS (nih funded)
Locations1 site (DAVIS, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11212137 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

From the patient's perspective, doctors will collect tumor samples from people with advanced cancers at several university cancer centers and grow them as patient-derived tumor models. Those models will be shared across the consortium so scientists can test FDA-approved drugs and NCI-supported drug combinations in a lab setting. The team aims to create at least 120 new models drawn from racially and ethnically diverse patients to better reflect real-world cancer biology. Findings will help researchers understand mechanisms of cancer and guide future clinical trials focused on reducing cancer health disparities.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal participants are people with advanced or metastatic solid tumors—particularly those from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups—who can donate tumor tissue or consent to related translational studies.

Not a fit: People whose tumors cannot be collected or do not engraft into the models, or who need immediate clinical therapy, may not see direct benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify treatments that work better for patients from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups and inform more personalized care.

How similar studies have performed: Patient-derived xenograft models have been used previously to study treatment responses, and this project expands that approach by increasing the number and diversity of available models.

Where this research is happening

DAVIS, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Advanced Cancer

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.