# PDX Modeling Core

> **NIH NIH P01** · DANA-FARBER CANCER INST · 2024 · $433,259

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY:
CORE 3 – PRECLINICAL MODELING
The Preclinical Modeling Core will be co-led by Dr. Joyce Liu, a medical oncologist specializing in gynecologic
cancers who has experience in the development of gyn patient-derived xenograft (PDX) and patient-derived
organoid (PDO) models, and Dr. Jean Zhao, who is an expert in the development of genetically engineered
mouse models (GEMMs). The core will provide support for all three projects with a focus on targeting
replication stress in uterine cancers, including (1) targeting WEE1 in uterine serous carcinomas or p53-mutated
uterine cancers; (2) combined ATR inhibition and PI3K inhibition in uterine cancers; and (3) induction of
replication stress to generate anti-tumor immunity in uterine cancers through the activation of the cGAS/STING
pathway. The Core will generate, characterize, and maintain preclinical models in support of each of the
projects, and will provide expertise in the design of modeling experiments. The goal of Aim 1 of the Preclinical
Modeling Core is to generate, maintain, and characterize additional PDX models of endometrial cancer from
patient samples. Successfully implanted models will then be passaged and fully characterized; in collaboration
with the Pathology Core, histologic fidelity to the primary tumor will be assessed. Additionally, models will be
assessed for genomic fidelity to the parent tumor via next generation sequencing. In Aim 2 of the Core, we will
continue to generate, maintain, and characterize PDO models of endometrial cancer from patient samples.
Successful organoids will also be characterized for fidelity to the parent tumor, similar to in Aim 1. Finally, Aim
3 of the Core will focus on the generation, maintenance, and characterization of a collection of endometrial
cancer GEMMs, with defined genomic characteristics selected based upon their frequent presence and clinical
relevance to human endometrial cancer. The collection of fully characterized PDXs, PDOs, and GEMMs
generated and maintained by this Core will be utilized to support the experimental plans for all three projects.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10769262
- **Project number:** 1P01CA269021-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** DANA-FARBER CANCER INST
- **Principal Investigator:** Joyce Liu
- **Activity code:** P01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $433,259
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-05-01 → 2029-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10769262

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10769262, PDX Modeling Core (1P01CA269021-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10769262. Licensed CC0.

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