Next-Generation in vivo Modeling of Human Cancers

Animal models of human cancers played a major role in our current understanding of tumor biology. In pre-clinical oncology, animal models empowered drug target and biomarker discovery and validation. In turn, this resulted in improved care for cancer patients. In the quest for understanding and trea...

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Main Author: Gaetano Gargiulo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2018-10-01
Series:Frontiers in Oncology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fonc.2018.00429/full
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author Gaetano Gargiulo
author_facet Gaetano Gargiulo
author_sort Gaetano Gargiulo
collection DOAJ
description Animal models of human cancers played a major role in our current understanding of tumor biology. In pre-clinical oncology, animal models empowered drug target and biomarker discovery and validation. In turn, this resulted in improved care for cancer patients. In the quest for understanding and treating a diverse spectrum of cancer types, technological breakthroughs in genetic engineering and single cell “omics” offer tremendous potential to enhance the informative value of pre-clinical models. Here, I review the state-of-the-art in modeling human cancers with focus on animal models for human malignant gliomas. The review highlights the use of glioma models in dissecting mechanisms of tumor initiation, in the retrospective identification of tumor cell-of-origin, in understanding tumor heterogeneity and in testing the potential of immuno-oncology. I build on the deep review of glioma models as a basis for a more general discussion of the potential ways in which transformative technologies may shape the next-generation of pre-clinical models. I argue that refining animal models along the proposed lines will benefit the success rate of translation for pre-clinical research in oncology.
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spelling doaj.art-389f67e038de48a286d44120ea83e2702022-12-21T17:43:29ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oncology2234-943X2018-10-01810.3389/fonc.2018.00429401644Next-Generation in vivo Modeling of Human CancersGaetano GargiuloAnimal models of human cancers played a major role in our current understanding of tumor biology. In pre-clinical oncology, animal models empowered drug target and biomarker discovery and validation. In turn, this resulted in improved care for cancer patients. In the quest for understanding and treating a diverse spectrum of cancer types, technological breakthroughs in genetic engineering and single cell “omics” offer tremendous potential to enhance the informative value of pre-clinical models. Here, I review the state-of-the-art in modeling human cancers with focus on animal models for human malignant gliomas. The review highlights the use of glioma models in dissecting mechanisms of tumor initiation, in the retrospective identification of tumor cell-of-origin, in understanding tumor heterogeneity and in testing the potential of immuno-oncology. I build on the deep review of glioma models as a basis for a more general discussion of the potential ways in which transformative technologies may shape the next-generation of pre-clinical models. I argue that refining animal models along the proposed lines will benefit the success rate of translation for pre-clinical research in oncology.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fonc.2018.00429/fullmouse modelscancersingle-cell genomicsCRISPR/Cas9targeted therapiesbiomarker discovery
spellingShingle Gaetano Gargiulo
Next-Generation in vivo Modeling of Human Cancers
Frontiers in Oncology
mouse models
cancer
single-cell genomics
CRISPR/Cas9
targeted therapies
biomarker discovery
title Next-Generation in vivo Modeling of Human Cancers
title_full Next-Generation in vivo Modeling of Human Cancers
title_fullStr Next-Generation in vivo Modeling of Human Cancers
title_full_unstemmed Next-Generation in vivo Modeling of Human Cancers
title_short Next-Generation in vivo Modeling of Human Cancers
title_sort next generation in vivo modeling of human cancers
topic mouse models
cancer
single-cell genomics
CRISPR/Cas9
targeted therapies
biomarker discovery
url https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fonc.2018.00429/full
work_keys_str_mv AT gaetanogargiulo nextgenerationinvivomodelingofhumancancers