Cold Spring Harbor and Northwell Lead Development of 665 Cancer Organoid Models — Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Event summary

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and Northwell Health contributed over 150 organoid models to a compendium of 665 cancer organoids published in Nature.
The Human Cancer Model Initiative (HCMI) developed organoids representing 25 types of cancer, including rare and pediatric cancers.
The project included comprehensive clinical data, molecular profiles, and advanced sequencing for each model.
Organoids are more representative of patient tumors than traditional cell lines and enable faster drug screening.

The big picture

The completion of this decade-long initiative marks a significant advancement in cancer research, providing more accurate and diverse models for studying tumor biology. This collaboration between clinical care providers and research institutions exemplifies the growing trend toward integrating real-world data into preclinical models to accelerate drug development and improve patient outcomes.

What we're watching

Clinical Translation: How quickly these organoid models will be integrated into clinical trials and personalized treatment plans.
Research Adoption: The pace at which the international scientific community adopts these models for drug discovery and therapeutic development.
Diversity Impact: Whether the inclusion of rare cancer types and non-European ancestry samples will accelerate breakthroughs in underrepresented patient groups.