PDMR Team/Core Facilities
National Cancer Institute
Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD)
The Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis (DCTD), National Cancer Institute (NCI) takes prospective detection and treatment leads, facilitates their translation to clinical application, and expedites the initial and subsequent large-scale testing of new agents, biomarkers, imaging tests, and other therapeutic interventions (radiation, surgery, immunotherapy) in patients. Particularly, emphasis is put on the development of distinct molecular signatures for cancer, refined molecular assays, and state-of-the-art imaging techniques that will guide oncologic therapy in the future. Establishment of the NCI Patient-Derived Models Repository will provide new models with detailed molecular characterizations, carrying forward DCTD’s mission.
Biological Testing Branch (BTB)
The Biological Testing Branch (BTB) of the Developmental Therapeutics Program (DTP, DCTD), at NCI-Frederick, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR) maintains the NCI Patient-Derived Models Repository (PDMR), develops and performs quality control on all new PDMR models (in vivo and in vitro), verifies the identity and viability of the cryopreserved samples, and determines minimal growth characteristics of the tumors and resulting cell lines.
Molecular Characterization Laboratory (MoCha)
The Molecular Characterization Laboratory (MoCha) is a CLIA-certified laboratory and part of the Cancer Diagnosis Program (CDP), DCTD, NCI operating at FNLCR. MoCha is responsible for performing all genetic sequencing and gene expression profiling of models in the PDMR. It has a full pathology group responsible for reviewing the histology of all PDX models created for the PDMR. MoCha has clearly defined SOPs and data analysis pipelines to ensure high quality characterization of all models.
Cancer Imaging Program (CIP) and the Small Animal Imaging Program (SAIP)
The Cancer Imaging Program (CIP) DCTD, NCI collaborates with the PDMR through the application of imaging techniques to PDX-bearing mice. Much of this work is coordinated through the Small Animal Imaging Program (SAIP) at FNLCR. Imaging techniques such as 3D-ultrasound, MRI T2, and FDG PET/CT are applied to characterize PDX tumors as well as provide whole-mouse imaging to identify micro-mets and metastatic sites in PDX mice.