Cancer is a complex disease that impacts patients in diverse ways, highlighting the need for preclinical models that accurately represent this variability.
Gayle Marshall
Professor Pritchard will bring together an interdisciplinary team of biologists, bioengineers, clinicians, computational scientists and technologists to work on the INTREPID (IN vitro TumouR Explant models for evaluating cancer complexity and Patient Diversity) project with the aim to:
- improve our understanding of human cancer mechanisms and better support therapeutic development for disease intervention
- overcome limitations of current in vivo and in vitro models for cancer to better represent human pathophysiology and differences in disease
- accelerate the development, validation and uptake of the explant model system to mirror patient diversity and reduce the reliance on in vivo models
Speaking about the project, she said: “We are delighted to receive this award to deliver better outcomes for cancer patients. While a lot of the initial work will be on technical development of the explant platform, we will also be testing a range of advanced cancer therapies with the goal of designing personalised treatment strategies for individual patient benefit.”
Existing preclinical models for cancer, including in vivo and multi-cellular models, cannot capture the full spectrum of cancer complexity needed to accurately predict a patient’s response to anti-cancer therapies. This means that preclinical results may not translate into successful clinical trials, and potential game-changing new therapies can take longer to reach patients.
Living samples taken directly from patients’ tumours offer a powerful and more predictable alternative. They maintain the natural structure and cell interactions found in real tumours, including the immune system and blood vessel systems, while also accommodating patient diversity. This, in turn, should help scientists to predict which new therapies have the most potential more accurately.
Melanie Davies, Professor of Diabetes Medicine and Director of the Leicester NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, said: “I was delighted to hear that UKRI have funded the INTREPID programme which supports the development of novel human in vitro models to evaluate cancer complexity and patient diversity. Professor Pritchard, Dr Miles and Dr Khan, three of the key researchers in our NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre Personalised Cancer Prevention and Treatment Theme, led this bid. This is another example of Leicester’s standing at the forefront of groundbreaking biomedical research.”
Gayle Marshall, Head of Biomarkers at Medicines Discovery Catapult, said: “Cancer is a complex disease that impacts patients in diverse ways, highlighting the need for preclinical models that accurately represent this variability. As part of the INTREPID programme, Medicines Discovery Catapult will apply a range of advanced technologies and leverage its expertise in drug discovery to enhance the development and validation of these urgently needed models. The research conducted through INTREPID will play a crucial role in accelerating the creation of new medications for cancer, ultimately supporting better outcomes for patients.”