Cancer Organoid Innovation Laboratory
Our Goal
To enable broad and equitable access to high-quality, clinically annotated patient-derived organoids and support mechanistic and functional studies that accelerate translation of cancer discoveries into therapeutic strategies.
Location
T. Boone Pickens Biomedical Building (ND)
North Campus, ND3.220
6001 Forest Park Road
Dallas, TX 75390
The Cancer Organoid Innovation Laboratory (COIL) provides investigators with centralized access to patient-derived organoid (PDO) technologies that support translational cancer research, therapeutic discovery, precision oncology, and alignment with recent NIH and FDA guidances. By establishing and maintaining clinically annotated organoid models from diverse cancer types, COIL enables researchers to study human tumor biology in physiologically relevant systems that preserve the genetic, molecular, and functional characteristics and architecture of patient tumors. COIL offers expertise in organoid generation, culture optimization, and experimental design, promoting rigorous and reproducible research across the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center.
COIL also provides advanced capabilities for functional testing and model development, including high-throughput drug screening, immune-enabled organoid systems, and genome engineering approaches such as CRISPR-based editing (planned for Phase II). Through standardized workflows, consultation services, training opportunities, and integration with existing Cancer Center shared resources, COIL accelerates the translation of laboratory discoveries into therapeutic strategies while advancing the development of more predictive, human-relevant cancer models.
The three aims of COIL are:
- To establish and maintain a centralized, clinically annotated biobank of patient-derived organoids
- To provide training, consultation, and technological support to enable broad use of PDO models
- To provide expertise and infrastructure for immune-enabled and genetically engineered organoid models
Services
- Cancer PDO models previously established at the SCCC
- Training and support for organoid maintenance culture and co-culture
- Experimental and study design support
- Establishment of new PDO models from fresh tissue
Equipment
- Tissue culture related equipment
- Liquid handler for scaling experiments
SCCC members interested in utilizing COIL services are encouraged to request a virtual consultation with the team. The consultation provides an opportunity to discuss project goals, feasibility, available capabilities, and fees.
Leadership
Co-Director, COIL
Co-Director, COIL