OS Patient-Derived Tumour Models

Patient-derived tumour models involve creating miniature versions of a person's tumour outside the body. This allows scientists to study and test potential treatments before clinical trials. These models provide a personalized approach to cancer research, aiding in understanding individual tumour responses to therapies and leading to more effective treatments for cancer patients. This research project aims to utilize patient tumour biopsies to establish osteosarcoma patient-derived tumour models. These models will deepen our understanding of osteosarcoma development and its propensity for lung metastasis, with the ultimate goal of developing innovative therapeutic approaches.

Dr. Freeman's Lab has forged a collaboration between University College Dublin (UCD) and Children’s Health Ireland to establish patient-derived tumour models. Dr. Freeman will collaborate with CHI experts Dr. Scheryll Alken (Clinical Oncologist), Prof. Maureen O'Sullivan (Clinical Pathologist), and Mr. Alan Molloy (Orthopaedic Surgeon) to procure patient biopsies for generating these models. The biopsy processing will follow two approaches:

• Tumour biopsy/Resected Tumour: The tumour will be dissected into small pieces (0.3mm in size) to create 3D mini-tumours. These mini-tumours will then be frozen for future use in osteosarcoma research.
• Cancer and Immune Cell Extraction: Cancer and immune cells will be extracted from the tumour and blood samples, cultured in the lab, and securely stored for future use in developing 3D models for osteosarcoma research.

These cells will serve as evaluation tools to enhance our understanding of osteosarcoma, aiding in the development of superior testing platforms for future drug development. All research projects utilizing patient cells undergo review by the Children’s Health Ireland Research Ethics Committee and UCD’s REC before commencement. Regular updates on approved and ongoing projects will be provided on this webpage.

Current Projects:

1. META-CHIP "Development of a lung METAstasis-on-a-CHIP model for osteosarcoma as a biomimetic testing platform for drug discovery and therapeutic innovation." This project is funded by Horizon Europe (European Commission) under Dr Freeman European Research Council Starting Grant (101118002), over the next 5 years.

Osteosarcoma, a highly aggressive bone cancer affecting children, adolescents, and young adults, still relies on treatment protocols established nearly 50 years ago. Lung metastasis remains a critical clinical factor, with a 70% fatality rate within 3 years for those affected. Addressing poor outcomes poses a significant challenge due to the rarity of osteosarcoma, complicating clinical trial recruitment efforts.

Organ-on-a-chip devices, three-dimensional microfluidic devices mimicking human organ structures and functions, offer a promising solution. These devices, the size of a USB memory stick, contain intricate microfluidic channels lined with living human cells, tissues, and blood vessels. They provide insights into organ responses to new treatments, eliminating the need for human or animal involvement. Organ-on-a-chip models are gaining attention as a potential screening method for new cancer treatments, offering flexibility in assessing organ responses before full clinical trials.

META-CHIP aims to develop a predictive, patient-specific model for osteosarcoma and its secondary lung metastases. Once developed, META-CHIP will aid in evaluating prospective new therapies and streamlining the clinical trial process. This will enable more efficient human trials with significantly reduced preclinical testing, ultimately offering these young osteosarcoma patients the novel treatment options they rightfully deserve.