Hudson Institute Living Biobank
Developing living models of childhood cancers to accelerate safer, more effective treatments.
The challenge
Developing safer, more effective therapies for childhood cancers relies on having preclinical models that closely resemble the tumours found in young patients, covering the range of cancer types. This is difficult because childhood cancer is rare, and creating these models is challenging. This project aims to address this unmet need by using specialised methodologies to generate high-quality, renewable models for researchers worldwide to access.
The research
The Hudson Institute of Medical Research Living Biobank team is creating a diverse and renewable collection of patient-derived preclinical models for rare childhood tumours using advanced methodologies, significantly improving success rates and accelerating the availability of clinically relevant models for research. Unlike traditional biobanks, which store non-renewable, fixed or frozen samples that offer only a single point-in-time analysis and can be quickly depleted, the Living Biobank’s ‘living’ models can be expanded indefinitely, enabling ongoing advanced studies and global sharing to drive novel discoveries and better outcomes for children with cancer.
The impact
By providing access to high-quality, renewable preclinical models and tumour tissue paired with clinical data, this initiative supports researchers in testing innovative therapies, identifying personalised treatment options, and deepening understanding of tumour biology. These efforts directly benefit children with limited treatment choices and poor prognoses, helping to accelerate the discovery of safer, more effective therapies that not only improve survival rates but also enhance the quality and years of life for children diagnosed with cancer.
Children's Cancer CoLab Funding Information
Grant Awarded: $410,162
Project Timeline: September 2025 – August 2027
Impact Programs: Innovation Accelerators
Scientific Review: Children’s Cancer CoLab Scientific Advisory Committee
Lead Institution: Hudson Institute of Medical Research
CoLab Collaborating Institutions: Monash Children’s Hospital and Royal Children’s Hospital
Lead Researcher: A/Prof Jason Cain
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Grant Funding
Our program funding is allocated through a competitive process underpinned by robust expert review. We adopt scientific rigour to evaluate each proposal’s potential for impact and alignment with identified childhood cancer research and care priorities.
