New Patient-Derived Biobank Opens Door to Precision Oncology in Pancreatic Cancer
Posted on June 24th, 2026
Researchers and clinicians at the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University and University Hospital Brno, have established a unique patient-derived pancreatic cancer stromal cells and advanced tissue biobank and advanced 3D tumor model platform aimed at improving understanding of one of the most aggressive human malignancies. The project is led by Assoc. Prof. Petr Vaňhara, a former SPARKee, and builds on a long-standing focus on stem cell biology, cellular plasticity, and tissue regeneration, now extended into the field of tumor heterogeneity and precision oncology. The platform integrates clinically annotated, patient-derived pancreatic cancer cell populations obtained from surgical specimens, which would not be possible without close and continuous collaboration with the Department of Surgery and the Department of Internal Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Brno, as well as pathology units, whcich ensure access to well-characterized clinical material and its precise annotation. These samples are used to generate short-term cultured cell models and three-dimensional spheroid systems that better model tumor architecture and key features of the tumor microenvironment than conventional long-established cell lines. These models enable investigation of inter-patient variability in tumor growth, stress responses, and signaling pathway activation, including mechanisms associated with therapy resistance and extracellular matrix remodeling in desmoplastic pancreatic tumors. Importantly, the biobank is directly linked to detailed clinical, pathological, and outcome data through close collaboration with University Hospital Brno, including surgical, oncological, and pathological departments as well as the Centre for Precision Medicine. This integration of experimental and clinical data creates a highly translational platform for studying pancreatic cancer biology in a patient-specific context. The system is designed as a dynamic, continuously replenished resource rather than a static repository, supporting both internal research and external collaborative projects focused on biomarker discovery, functional precision oncology, and translational therapeutic development.
Permalink: https://sparkglobal.io/new-patient-derived-biobank-opens-door-to-precision-oncology-in-pancreatic-cancer/