Frequently Asked Questions

HCMI is currently building an FAQ list based on the needs of our users. We will be updating questions on this site continually, so visitors should check back soon for new FAQs. If you cannot find what you are looking for here, please do not hesitate to contact us.

General Questions

Are the HCMI models derived from patient-derived xenografts or cell lines?

No, all of the HCMI next-generation cancer models are derived from primary patient tissues.

Can an institution contribute to the HCMI and eventually be a part of it?

The technical requirements of the project are rigorous, however, interested researchers should contact OCG (ocg@mail.nih.gov).

I am interested in generating a model at my own institution. Do you have any helpful resources to help me get started?

NCI Cancer Model Development page provides an overview of NCI model development pipeline. HCMI Resources page provides the following resources:

Informed Consent Template for Tissue Accrual to Enable Model Development and Distribution
Case Report Forms for clinical data collection
Protocols for model expansion

What are some of the examples of how other next-generation cancer models have been used?

Tuveson D, Clevers H. Cancer modeling meets human organoid technology. Science. 2019;364(6444):952-955. doi:10.1126/science.aaw6985 (PMID: 31171691)
Zou Y, Palte MJ, Deik AA, et al. A GPX4-dependent cancer cell state underlies the clear-cell morphology and confers sensitivity to ferroptosis. Nat Commun. 2019;10(1):1617. Published 2019 Apr 8. doi:10.1038/s41467-019-09277-9 (PMID: 30962421)
Chan EM, Shibue T, McFarland JM, et al. WRN helicase is a synthetic lethal target in microsatellite unstable cancers. Nature. 2019;568(7753):551-556. doi:10.1038/s41586-019-1102-x (PMID: 30971823)
Tiriac H, Plenker D, Baker LA, Tuveson DA. Organoid models for translational pancreatic cancer research. Curr Opin Genet Dev. 2019; 54:7-11. doi:10.1016/j.gde.2019.02.003 (PMID: 30844513)
Neal JT, Li X, Zhu J, et al. Organoid Modeling of the Tumor Immune Microenvironment. Cell. 2018;175(7):1972-1988.e16. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2018.11.021(PMID: 30550791)
Tiriac H, Belleau P, Engle DD, et al. Organoid Profiling Identifies Common Responders to Chemotherapy in Pancreatic Cancer. Cancer Discov. 2018;8(9):1112-1129. doi:10.1158/2159-8290.CD-18-0349 (PMID: 29853643)
Li X, Francies HE, Secrier M, et al. Organoid cultures recapitulate esophageal adenocarcinoma heterogeneity providing a model for clonality studies and precision therapeutics. Nat Commun. 2018;9(1):2983. Published 2018 Jul 30. doi:10.1038/s41467-018-05190-9 (PMID: 30061675)
Buczacki SJA, Popova S, Biggs E, et al. Itraconazole targets cell cycle heterogeneity in colorectal cancer. J Exp Med. 2018;215(7):1891-1912. doi:10.1084/jem.20171385 (PMID: 29853607)
Sachs N, de Ligt J, Kopper O, et al. A Living Biobank of Breast Cancer Organoids Captures Disease Heterogeneity. Cell. 2018 Jan 11;172(1-2):373-386. (PMID: 29224780)
Weeber F, Ooft SN, Dijkstra KK, Voest EE. Tumor Organoids as a Pre-clinical Cancer Model for Drug Discovery. Cell Chem Biol. 2017;24(9):1092-1100. doi:10.1016/j.chembiol.2017.06.012 (PMID: 28757181)
Boj SF, Hwang CI, Baker LA, et al. Organoid models of human and mouse ductal pancreatic cancer. Cell. 2015 Jan 15;160(1-2):324-38. (PMID: 25557080)
Baker LA, Tiriac H, Clevers H, Tuveson DA. Modeling pancreatic cancer with organoids. Trends in Cancer. 2016 Apr;2(4):176-190. (PMID: 27135056)

HCMI Models

Where can I find which HCMI models are available?

Available HCMI models can be found on HCMI Search Catalog page. Individual model pages contain a subset of model associated data, and a link to available associated molecular characterization and clinical data at NCI’s Genomic Data Commons (GDC). The link to the 3rd party HCMI Model Distributor is also available. The HCMI Searchable Catalog is a dynamic resource and is updated as model-associated data become available.

See the HCMI Searchable Catalog User Guide for guidance on navigating the Searchable Catalog.

Where can I obtain the HCMI models?

HCMI models can be obtained from a single third-party distributor, American Type Culture Collection (ATCC).

Where can I find protocols for culturing and expanding HCMI models?

Protocols for culturing and expanding HCMI models can be found on the ATCC website.

Who do I contact for model specific technical information such as troubleshooting or passage number?

The model distributor provides technical support. For questions related to HCMI models, contact distributor ATCC by emailing distribtech@atcc.org.

HCMI Searchable Catalog

What is the HCMI Searchable Catalog?

HCMI Searchable Catalog is a continuously updated resource for querying the available next-generation models developed by HCMI. Within the Catalog, users can search by patient demographics, tumor, and model elements including age at diagnosis, sex, treatment information, clinical tumor diagnosis, primary site, clinical stage, and type of model (e.g. 3D-organoid, 2D-conditionally reprogrammed cells), etc. For additional assistance in navigating the Searchable Catalog, please see the “HCMI Searchable Catalog User Guide”.

How do I navigate the HCMI Searchable Catalog?

For assistance in navigating the Searchable Catalog, please see the “HCMI Searchable Catalog User Guide”.

HCMI Data and Publications

Can I use HCMI data in a publication?

The initiative members plan to publish a joint comprehensive manuscript when the number of models released reaches a critical number. Therefore, the consortium requests that investigators do not publish a manuscript using a large cohort of HCMI models and data before the paper is published. Use and publication of up to five models is acceptable.

What type of data is available for HCMI models?

A model's case-associated data include the data from the derived model, originating tumor tissue and normal tissue. Quality checked clinical, biospecimen, and molecular characterization data are available for HCMI models at NCI’s Genomic Data Commons (GDC). While the consortium aims to provide comprehensive data, availability of models' case-associated information may differ among cancer model development centers.

How do I access models' case-associated data?

Models' case-associated clinical, biospecimen, and molecular characterization data are available at NCI’s Genomic Data Commons (GDC). New data is released at the GDC when it becomes available. The GDC uses an email listserv to provide information on data releases. Information about accessing controlled-access data, visit: https://ocg.cancer.gov/programs/hcmi/accessing-hcmi-data.

Do I need to obtain HCMI models to access the clinical or molecular characterization data?

No, you do not need to obtain HCMI models in order to access the model-associated data. Available open- and controlled-access model-associated data can be found at NCI’s Genomic Data Commons.

How do I acknowledge HCMI in publications?

Please see HCMI publication guidelines for guidance on how to acknowledge HCMI. The initiative members plan to publish a joint comprehensive manuscript when the number of models released reaches a critical number. Therefore, the consortium requests that investigators do not publish a manuscript using a large cohort of HCMI models and data before the paper is published. Use and publication of up to five models is acceptable.