More reliable 3D tumor organoids to improve cancer drug testing
Increasing organoid reproducibility and complexity for drug testing and disease modeling
['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · NIH-11326279
Developing improved lab-grown tumor organoids from patient samples to help match cancer drugs to the right people.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_OTHER'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11326279 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
This project grows patient-derived organoids—small, 3D versions of a patient's tumor—from surgical or biopsy samples to test drugs in the lab. The team will make organoids faster, more reproducible, and more physiologically realistic by controlling tissue mechanics, chemical environment, and geometry and by using new 4D fabrication tools such as piezoelectric-based approaches. They will link organoid drug responses to deep molecular profiles and clinical outcomes from trials like I-SPY 2 to see which lab results match real patient responses. The goal is scalable, clinically useful organoid production for personalized treatment decisions and preclinical drug screening.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with solid tumors who can provide tumor tissue (surgical or biopsy samples) or who are enrolled in trials with linked molecular profiling are ideal candidates to contribute specimens.
Not a fit: Patients without accessible tumor tissue (for example many blood cancers) or those needing immediate treatment where lab testing would be too slow may not directly benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could help identify which cancer drugs are most likely to work for an individual patient's tumor and speed development of better therapies.
How similar studies have performed: Patient-derived organoids have shown promising correlations with clinical response in some cancers, but reproducibility and scaling remain active challenges.
Where this research is happening
SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO — SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: GARTNER, ZEV JORDAN — UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- Study coordinator: GARTNER, ZEV JORDAN
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.
Conditions: Anti-Cancer Agents, Anti-Cancer Drug Screens, Anticancer Drug Sensitivity Tests