Donor-driven 3D organoid platform to study pancreatic cancer drug response
Official title: Pilot Project 8
Funded at University of Florida · NIH-11625599 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A pilot project to create patient-derived, 3D organoid models of pancreatic cancer to measure how tumors from different people respond to chemotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Gainesville, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $172,444 |
| NIH project number | 5U54CA233444-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11625599 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) whose tumor material can be used to generate patient-derived organoids and tumor-associated fibroblasts.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors cannot be cultured as organoids or who are not eligible for biopsy or sample collection may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project brings together Florida A&M, University of Florida, and USC to build scalable, donor-resolved platforms using patient-derived pancreatic cancer organoids and fibroblasts in a 3D bio-printed format. It will run two assay systems: a donor-derived organoid–fibroblast system and a donor-resolved village assay to profile how each patient’s tumor reacts to therapies while minimizing batch effects. The team will collect multi-omics data (genomics, RNA, methylation) and link these molecular signatures to drug-response patterns. The goal is to create reproducible pharmacology readouts and a framework for downstream analyses of resistance mechanisms that could guide personalized treatment decisions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with pancreatic cancer could benefit from more precise, individualized therapy choices based on their tumor’s specific response profile.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that patient-derived organoids can reflect treatment responses, but this donor-resolved, 3D, multi-omics approach is a novel step toward scalable, individualized pharmacology.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Florida
Gainesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Cristofoletti, Rodrigo — University of Florida
- Study coordinator: Cristofoletti, Rodrigo
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.