October 24, 2011

More Relevant Cancer Models Available

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. More than ever, new preclinical approaches are needed to support oncology research. Among the new tools are more relevant cancer models being developed by the Primary Human Tumors Consortium (PHTC) formed by The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), the University of California, Davis, and other cancer research institutions. The PHTC is a publicly available library of primary human tumors for cancer research and drug development and is housed in Sacramento at our in vivo pharmacology services facility.

NSG lab mouse
The NSG mouse is one of the most immunodeficient mouse models available. It has no mature T, B, or NK cells, is long-lived, is ideally suited to propagate human tissue, and has outstanding utility in cutting-edge cancer research.
To produce more representative cancer models, the PHTC is engrafting patient-derived solid and liquid tumors from consenting patients into the NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ (005557) mouse – abbreviated NSG for NOD scid gamma. PHTC members believe these patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models will lead to much more effective and individualized therapies than those developed from xenograft models using old, generic, cultured cell lines.

To date, the PHTC has engrafted more than 225 patient-derived tumors into NSG mice and established more than 50 PDX models. Among the new models available are two mammary carcinoma models, including one triple negative model. Learn more about these two models and their availability.

In the coming weeks, researchers will have two great opportunities to learn more about the PHTC and PDX cancer models:

Dr. Neal Goodwin
Dr. Neal Goodwin is Program Director of The Jackson Laboratory's Cancer Services.
On November 2, at 1:00 PM (ET in US), JAX scientists Drs. Leon Hall and Yan Yang will offer a free webinar on cutting edge mouse models such as the PDX tumor models and the NSG mice engrafted with a human immune system. You can register for the webinar with Drug Discovery & Develpment.

On November 8, at the Phacilitate Oncology Leaders' Forum, held in Boston from November 7-9, at focus session 2 ("Advanced translational models in oncology: Under-estimated, under-valued tools?"), JAX scientist Dr. Neal Goodwin, who spearheaded the PHTC's formation, will speak about the PHTC and PDX models from 2:20-40 PM (ET in US). His talk is titled "The JAX Cancer Consortium: Changing the course of clinical advancement."

 Listen to an interview of Dr. Goodwin by a Future Pharmaceuticals representative

For more information on the PHTC and PDX tumor models, please contact jaxservices@jax.org.