Establishing biobank of living tumour tissues to support personalised treatment and research

UM has established a biobank of living tumour tissues in collaboration with Kiang Wu Hospital in Macao

The fight against cancer is entering a new era, one defined by personalised treatment and precision medicine. In recent years, there has been a notable increase in the number of large-scale biobanks being established, providing researchers with access to a vast array of biological specimens alongside associated clinical data, such as medical records, family history, lifestyle information, and genetic data. However, traditional biobanking methods usually involve cryogenic storage using ultra-low temperature freezers or liquid nitrogen, a process which often compromises cell viability. This limitation restricts the use of specimens to processes such as the extraction of proteins, DNA, or RNA, and prevents the cultivation of live cells, which significantly hinders their potential to advance precision medicine.

UM FHS research team establishes a novel living tumour tissue biobank

To overcome this challenge, a research team led by Prof Chuxia Deng, chair professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Macau (UM), has established a biobank of living tumour tissues in collaboration with Kiang Wu Hospital in Macao. This biobank employs a standardised cryopreservation technique involving gradual cooling and storage in liquid nitrogen to preserve tumour tissue specimens obtained during early surgical procedures for long-term storage. Moreover, this method facilitates the successful revitalisation of previously cryopreserved tissues for organoid culture, even in cases where patients are unable to undergo surgery and obtain tumour specimens during recurrence or metastasis. The research, titled ‘Establishing a cryopreserved biobank of living tumor tissues for drug sensitivity testing’, has been published in Bioactive Materials (2025).

In the study, the UM research team tested 42 pairs of frozen human tumour specimens. Tissue samples from four different cancer types—breast cancer, colorectal cancer, lung cancer, and kidney cancer—were used to establish patient-derived tumour organoids (PDOs). The results demonstrated that organoids could be successfully cultivated in 40 out of 42 cases, achieving a success rate of 95.2%. It is noteworthy that the tumour samples retained their capacity for the establishment of organoid models, even following a period of cryopreservation spanning almost four years. The study also demonstrated the applicability of this technique for the effective cryopreservation of small specimens, including biopsy tissues.

The cryopreservation of living tissue is simple and easy to operate. The technique under discussion has been demonstrated to enable the long-term preservation of various tumour specimens while ensuring the viability of the cells within the tumour tissues. Organoids derived from these tissues can be routinely frozen and passaged, enabling high-throughput screening of drug sensitivity and identification of potentially effective drugs to combat drug-resistant tumours. Furthermore, cryopreserved tumour tissues maintain the original tumour microenvironment, rendering them suitable for air-liquid interface (ALI) cultivation and evaluation of anti-tumour drug responses, including immune checkpoint inhibitors. The study serves to expand the concept of biobanking and lays the foundation for the establishment of living tissue biobanks. It also provides substantial support for precision cancer treatment and translational medical research.


Prof Chuxia DENG (Left) and Ping CHEN

All in all, the successful establishment of the living tissue biobank at UM demonstrates the feasibility and potential of preserving viable tumour tissue for long-term research. The technique not only overcomes the limitations of conventional biobanking methods but also provides a valuable platform for the study of tumour biology, the identification of novel therapeutic targets, and the personalisation of treatment strategies. As the field of precision oncology continues to evolve, living tissue biobanks will undoubtedly play an increasingly vital role in bridging the gap between laboratory research and clinical application, offering hope for more effective cancer therapies and improved patient care. This work was supported by the Macau Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) and by the University of Macau.