The Human Cancer Model Initiative Reaches Key Milestone

Why it's important

The HCMI portfolio is an incredibly diverse collection derived from primary patient tumor samples from clinical sites across the US and Europe. The collection includes over 20 cancer types from hundreds of unique human donors, more than 25 media formulations, and models that are maintained in a variety of different culture conditions, both 2-D and 3-D.  In addition to deriving the model, the HCMI provides a searchable catalog and annotates the models with molecular characterization via sequencing and donor clinical data that is made available from the NCI at no cost. This allows researchers to identify models with specific genotypes of interest, such as specific mutations or combinations of mutations or specific patient demographics and treatment histories.

The initiative holds promise to greatly expand the breadth, depth, physiological relevance, and level of molecular characterization of in vitro cancer models available to the global research community. For example, with the inclusion of HCMI models, ATCC’s portfolio of glioblastoma models has roughly doubled, and nearly half of the new models are 3-D models, which may better reflect in vivo physiology than existing cell lines. The number of cancer organoid models available from ATCC has increased from zero three years ago to over 130 today, enabling this new 3-D culture technology to be easily accessible to laboratories that don’t have the ability to derive their own patient-derived cancer models.

What we do

ATCC is the sole distributor for the HCMI models, and we work closely with the NCI and model developers to support the goal of ensuring these models are broadly available to the research community. Beyond manufacturing and distribution, we also perform critical authentication and quality control activities to ensure the models satisfy ATCC’s high quality standards. We also strive to provide customers with educational materials and tools for facilitating use of these models. Specifically for 3-D cancer organoids, we published a protocol paper detailing how they can be thawed into culture, expanded, and cryopreserved, and we also released an organoid culture video tutorial.

ATCC is excited to collaborate with the NCI and will continue supporting scientists in using these more complex models. New models will continue to be released as well as tools for easier adoption of organoids.