As oncology researchers continue to find immense value in the applications of3D organoidsfor their work, one area stands to gain a great deal from the advancements of thesein vivo-like environments and cultures: personalized medicine.
As an inherently molecular approach to cancer therapy, precision medicine relies entirely on matching up individualized responses with potential treatments — something organoids are uniquely suited to predict given their composition. Organoids are derived from stem cells or progenitor cells, and when mixed with a hydrogel, such asCorning®Matrigel®matrixorcollagenfor organoid cultures, create a functioning mini-manifestation of the parent organ.
What results is a tiny bladder, breast, liver, or other material that you can see, study, and interact with to test and optimize cancer therapies — just as if it werein vivo. But it's not, and that has many advantages.