PORTLAND, Oregon — A $1 million funding grant is equipping and expanding the new Precision Biofabrication Hub at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute.
Researchers at the hub take small samples of human cells from organ tissues to reproduce organs, cancerous tumors and bone material using 3D bioprinters and other advanced engineering.
“That allows us to understand how tumors actually progress and metastasize,” said Dr. Luiz Bertassoni, director of the Precision Biofabrication Hub. “We can actually do drug trials and do experiments with these same tumors without actually having to expose the patient themselves to these treatments and trials.”
Half of the $1 million grant came from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust. The rest came from awards gathered by the Knight Cancer Institute, the OHSU School of Medicine and Bertassoni.
“The mission of the Cancer Institute is to end cancer as we know it,” said Bertassoni.
The Knight Cancer Institute accepts donation of any size to further their research. Those interested in contributing may do so here.