Patient-derived xenograft models (PDX), in which tumorfragments surgically dissected from cancer patients aredirectly transplanted into immunodeficient mice, retain theprincipal histologic and genetic characteristics of theirdonor tumor and remain stable across earliest passages.Based on this, PDX models are considered superiorpreclinical cancer models that offer predictive insight intoclinical outcomes. As such they are widely used forpreclinical drug evaluation, biomarker identification,biologic studies, and personalized medicine strategies.
The UGhent expertise and use of PDX models forfundamental, translational and clinical research is rapidlyexpanding. Given this, we propose to establish a PDX centerin Ghent that offers i) a dedicated part of the new animalhouse at the UZ Ghent hospital for PDXs and ii) acentralized coordination to generate, characterize andbiobank PDX models which allows a flexible exchange ofknowledge and research tools.  PDXGhent will createunique opportunities for the cancer research community inGhent to further intensify interactions between researchlaboratories and the university hospital. Thesecollaborations will further stimulate top level cancerresearch in Ghent and accelerate the pace by which novelemerging therapies will become available for cancerpatients that are currently treated in the clinic.