Inside the Hunt for New Treatments at Huntsman
Behind every breakthrough lies an entire ecosystem of specialized support—the unseen engine that powers discovery in cancer research.
In the world of cancer research, a revolutionary new drug or a groundbreaking new therapy often captures the public's imagination. But behind these headline-making breakthroughs lies an entire ecosystem of specialized support, an unseen engine that powers discovery. At the Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI), a key part of this engine is the Preclinical Research Resource (PRR) Core.
This shared resource provides scientists with the sophisticated tools and models necessary to bridge the gap between a promising idea in the lab and a potential treatment for patients 4 . By offering state-of-the-art capabilities, the PRR Core accelerates the fight against cancer, helping to transform abstract scientific concepts into tangible hope.
Centralized facility supporting critical stages of cancer discovery
Advanced equipment and technical expertise for cancer researchers
Shared resources that remove barriers and accelerate discovery
Transforming scientific concepts into tangible hope for patients
Before a new therapy can ever be tested in a human being, it must first undergo rigorous preclinical testing. This phase of research is designed to prove that a potential treatment is both effective and safe in models that mimic human disease. The Preclinical Research Resource (PRR) Core at Huntsman Cancer Institute is a centralized facility specifically designed to support this critical stage of discovery 4 .
Think of the PRR Core as a collaborative workshop for cancer scientists. It provides the specialized equipment, technical expertise, and advanced biological models that individual researchers might not be able to access or maintain on their own.
By offering these shared resources, the core removes logistical barriers, allowing scientists to focus on what they do best: asking bold questions about cancer and finding the answers.
Identification of potential therapeutic targets
Initial screening in cell cultures
Evaluation in animal models
Testing in human patients
One of the most powerful tools in modern cancer research is the Patient-Derived Xenograft (PDX) model, a technology that the PRR Core specializes in 9 .
Creating a PDX model is a complex process that involves implanting a piece of a patient's tumor into a specially bred laboratory mouse. The mouse's immune system is compromised to prevent it from rejecting the human tissue.
This model serves as a "living laboratory" where the patient's cancer can grow and be studied in a living system.
Retains key genetic and biological characteristics of the original human tumor
Allows testing of dozens of different drugs and drug combinations
No further risk to the patient during experimental testing
Identifies promising therapies to move into clinical trials
To understand the real-world impact of the PRR Core, let's look at a landmark study on acral melanoma, a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer that appears on the palms, soles, and nail beds 9 .
Acral melanoma is biologically distinct from more common skin melanomas, often lacks the typical mutations that existing drugs target, and is notoriously difficult to treat. For years, researchers were hampered by the inability to grow acral melanoma cells in standard lab dishes, severely limiting their ability to study the disease and test new therapies 9 .
To overcome this barrier, a research team at HCI utilized the PRR Core to create a series of PDX models from acral melanoma patients 9 . This approach allowed them to study the disease in a living system and test potential therapies effectively.
Here is a step-by-step look at their methodology:
Small fragments of the human tumor were implanted under the skin of specialized immunodeficient mice 9 .
The researchers treated them with a panel of different receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitors 9 .
The study yielded a dramatic and significant finding. While most drugs had limited effect, one multi-RTK inhibitor called Lenvatinib induced uniform tumor regression in the acral melanoma PDX models 9 . This was a stark contrast to its effect on models of common skin melanoma, where it only slowed growth.
Even more surprising was the discovery of how Lenvatinib worked. Instead of directly killing the cancer cells, the drug appeared to remodel the tumor's environment and disrupt its blood supply, effectively "starving" the tumor 9 . This crucial insight, made possible by the PDX models, suggests a completely new therapeutic strategy for patients with this challenging cancer.
Induced uniform tumor regression in acral melanoma PDX models
| Cancer Type | Model Type | Response to Lenvatinib |
|---|---|---|
| Acral Melanoma | Patient-Derived Xenograft (PDX) | Uniform Tumor Regression |
| Common Skin Melanoma | Patient-Derived Xenograft (PDX) | Slowed Tumor Growth (Only) |
| Stage | Description | Role of the PRR Core |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Implantation | A fragment of a patient's tumor is implanted into an immunodeficient mouse. | Provides surgical expertise and animal care protocols. |
| 2. Growth | The human tumor grows, establishing a PDX line that mirrors the original cancer. | Maintains and biobanks viable tumor tissue for future studies 9 . |
| 3. Therapeutic Testing | The PDX model is treated with experimental drugs or combinations. | Facilitates drug administration and monitoring. |
| 4. Analysis | Tumors are analyzed to understand the efficacy and mechanism of the treatment. | Provides tissue processing, from fixation to histological analysis 9 . |
The journey from concept to cure is powered not just by ideas and models, but also by essential physical tools. Research reagents are the chemicals, antibodies, and other materials that scientists use to conduct experiments, measure results, and probe the inner workings of cells.
| Reagent Category | Function & Importance | Example Uses in Preclinical Research |
|---|---|---|
| Cell Culture Media | A nutrient-rich solution designed to support the growth of cells outside the body. | Growing patient-derived cells for initial testing; maintaining cell lines for drug screening 8 . |
| Antibodies | Proteins that bind to specific target molecules, allowing scientists to visualize or measure them. | Identifying specific cancer biomarkers in PDX tumor tissue (immunohistochemistry); detecting protein levels in cells after drug treatment 8 . |
| Enzymes & Kits | Specialized proteins and pre-packaged sets of reagents designed to perform specific laboratory tasks. | Extracting DNA/RNA from PDX tumors for genetic analysis; detecting viral or bacterial contaminants 8 . |
| Buffers & Solutions | Liquid preparations that maintain a stable pH and environment for chemical reactions and biological assays. | Preparing tissue samples for analysis; washing cells; diluting other reagents to precise concentrations 8 . |
Specialized media and conditions for growing cancer cells outside the body
Reagents for genetic and protein analysis to understand cancer mechanisms
Tools for visualizing and quantifying biological processes in cancer models
The work of core facilities like the PRR is often unsung, but it is the bedrock upon which modern cancer discoveries are built.
By providing centralized access to advanced technologies like PDX models and supporting studies like the acral melanoma investigation, the Preclinical Research Resource Core at Huntsman Cancer Institute is not just supporting science—it is accelerating the pace of discovery.
The successful identification of Lenvatinib as a potential therapy for acral melanoma demonstrates a powerful formula for progress: combine a pressing clinical question with a sophisticated research core, and empower scientists to pursue answers.
This collaborative, resource-rich approach is how we will continue to crack cancer's toughest cases, turning once-hopeless diagnoses into new possibilities for treatment and survival.
References will be listed here in the final publication.