Patient-Derived Organoids for Precision Oncology

The field of bioengineered 3D cancer models has rapidly evolved through the convergence of organoid and organ-on-a-chip technologies. Patient-derived organoids (PDOs) preserve the genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity of individual tumors, whereas microfluidic platforms enable the recreation of dynamic physiological conditions such as perfusion, nutrient gradients, and tissue-tissue crosstalk. Together, these systems offer an unprecedented opportunity to bridge preclinical experimentation and patient-specific clinical outcomes. Recent studies highlight how these human-relevant models capture drug responses, tumor–stroma interactions, and immune modulation more accurately than conventional two-dimensional or animal models. Yet, the field still faces limitations related to reproducibility, scalability, and standardization, as well as a need for improved integration of microengineered environments that mimic the tumor microenvironment at high fidelity. These gaps present exciting opportunities for interdisciplinary research that merges oncology, biomaterials, and microfluidic engineering.This Research Topic aims to advance the next generation of patient-derived organoid and organ-on-a-chip systems that drive innovation in precision oncology. It will gather studies that design, validate, and apply engineered 3D platforms capable of recapitulating the complexity of human tumors while predicting therapeutic outcomes with clinical relevance. The objective is to encourage contributions that answer key questions, including: how can microfluidic flows and biomaterial architecture influence tumor behavior? What engineering parameters enhance organoid vascularization and immune integration? How can organoid-on-a-chip data inform personalized drug response models? Addressing these questions will be central to establishing reproducible, ethical, and translationally powerful tumor models.This Research Topic covers the development, integration, and application of bioengineered PDO and organ-on-a-chip systems for precision oncology, with a strong emphasis on technological innovation and validation. To gather further insights into this field, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Development of microfluidic and biomaterial-based systems to culture patient-derived tumor organoids- Engineering approaches for vascularized and immune-competent cancer-on-chip platforms- Integration of multi-tissue interactions to model tumor–stroma and metastatic progression- High-throughput drug screening and pharmacokinetic modeling using organoid-on-a-chip systems- Standardization and validation of PDO models for personalized medicine applications- Computational modeling, AI integration, and data-driven optimization of engineered tumor systems- Ethical and regulatory perspectives on clinical translation of bioengineered organoid platforms Topic editors: Cristian Turato, Valentina Belli, Vincenza Ciaramella Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/83404/patient-derived-organoids-for-precision-oncology