Micro-Organosphers, including Patient-Derived Micro-Organospheres (PMOSs), apparatuses and methods of making them, and apparatuses and methods of using them. Also described herein are methods and systems for screening a patient using these Patient-Derived Micro-Organospheres, including personalized therapies.

It is an object of the present invention to provide, for instance, a method for evaluating a function, such as transforming potential, of multiple different genes of interest, and a method capable of evaluating drug sensitivity of a subject having each gene of interest. The present invention relates to, for instance, a method for evaluating multiple different genes of interest, comprising the steps of: integrating, into host cell genomic DNA, polynucleotides each comprising a tag sequence and a gene of interest or a fragment thereof linked to the tag sequence; mixing a plurality of different host cells having the different polynucleotides integrated therein; culturing the mixed host cells; extracting the genomic DNA from the cultured host cells; quantifying each of the polynucleotides in the extracted genomic DNA based on the tag sequence; and determining a relative cell count of each of the host cells having the respective polynucleotides after the culturing, based on the quantified values for the polynucleotides.

Provided herein are methods for determining the functional status of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling pathways in a diseased cell sample obtained from a subject to thereby select for therapeutic use in the subject a RAS node or receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) targeted therapeutic. Also provided are methods for determining whether a GPCR signaling pathway is ultrasensitive in a diseased cell sample from a subject. Methods of administering a selected RAS node or RTK targeted therapeutic agent to the subject are also provided.

Disclosed is a method of detecting synergistic drug combinations for the treatment of a cancer, comprising: culturing infected cells in a chamber: contacting the cells in with a first active agent; measuring and/or estimating the concentration of the first active agent at a first and second time point; capturing a first and second optical signal from the contacted cells at the first and second time points; analyzing the first optical signal and the second optical signal to detect cell membrane motion of the cells; analyzing the cell membrane motion to quantify the viability of the cells following contact with the first active agent thereby detecting the drug induced damage at the second time point; measuring, calculating, and/or estimating the repair rate of the cells, therapeutic threshold, rate of sensitivity of therapy, and/or clonal composition of the tumor; repeating said steps with a second active agent.

An objective of the present invention is to provide non-human animal models of cancer pathology, which mimic the hierarchical organization, cancer progression process, or biological property of human cancer tissues, and uses thereof. To achieve the objective described above, first, the present inventors transplanted cells of NOG-established cancer lines into NOG mice and morphologically observed the resulting tissue organization. As a result, the non-human animal models were demonstrated to exhibit pathologies (the hierarchical organization, cancer progression process, or biological properties of the cancer cells) similar to that of human cancer. Specifically, the present inventors succeeded in preparing non-human animal models exhibiting pathologies more similar to a human cancer, and cell culture systems using NOG-established cancer cell lines where the in vitro cell morphology is more similar to that of human cancer.

Targeting metastasis stem cells through a fatty acid receptor. The invention provides the use of blockers or inhibitors of CD36 activity or expression for the treatment of oral squamous cell cancer (OSCC), particularly for the treatment of generated metastases and for diminish is generation from primary tumours. Apart from shRNAs, anti-CD36 antibodies are provided as blockers or inhibitors, especially those that block the binding of CD36 to oxidized LDL and fatty acids and their incorporation into cells, because the promotion of their transport is indicated as the mechanism by which CD36 promote metastases dissemination and growth. Also provided is a method for identifying candidates to anticancer agents, particularly for OSCC metastasis, among those that promote in CD36+ cells, in vivo or in vitro, effects associated to CD36 depletion or blocking such as decrease of growth accumulation of lipid droplets and decrease of size in the case of metastases.

The present invention relates to a method for measuring the immune-mediated effect of one or more immunotherapeutic agents on patient derived tumour cultures, using 3-dimensional visualisation of the tumour cell cultures. It also relates to the tumour cell cultures, and to a kit of parts comprising cell cultures and apparatus.

The present invention relates to a composition for inhibiting the growth of cancer stem cells, and a use thereof. A WDR34 inhibitor of the present invention inhibits the conversion of cancer cells into cancer stem cells and exhibits activity of inhibiting self-renewal, invasion, and migration of cancer stem cells, and thus can be effectively used as a cancer cell growth or metastasis inhibitor or a cancer stem cell growth inhibitor.

The present invention describes methods for quantifying and analyzing cell migration and drug screening. Such methods include a gel (or a hydrogel) comprising a polymer, and cells that forms an oxygen gradient within the gel by controlling the balance of the diffusion of oxygen through the top of the gel and by the consumption of oxygen uptake by the cells. The migration of the cells is determined while the cells are grown in the gel of the present invention.

The disclosure provides novel personalized therapies, kits, transmittable forms of information and methods for use in treating patients having cancer, wherein the cancer is amenable to therapeutic treatment with an inhibitor, e.g., an inhibitor of any of the targets disclosed herein. Kits, methods of screening for candidate inhibitors, and associated methods of treatment are also provided.