Self-Assembling 3D Mini-Tumors Are Poised to Become a New Tool for Studying Cancer

Bioengineers at NCI Frederick and Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, with external collaborators, have devised new types of 3D miniature tissues that assemble themselves and better reflect the composition of tumors in the body compared to existing models. The team aimed to complement organoids, a class of expensive, human-like models. Their creation, dubbed “MatriSpheres,” offers an inexpensive, middle-ground platform but, unexpectedly, also includes features that are unique from organoids.
Samuel Lopez
 12.01.2025
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In the News

Features | Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address: “A Few Appropriate Remarks”

In a recent article in the Poster, I mentioned that the words “I have a dream” are not to be found in the manuscript that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. took to the lectern on Aug. 28, 1963, during the celebrated March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom demonstration. When he sensed that his prepared speech was missing the mark, he resorted to the “dream” speech, which he had given several times previously, albeit not on the national stage.
Ken Michaels 02.10.2015
Features On Effective Communication February 2015

Scientific Library | Public Access and Open Access: Is There a Difference?

Open access and public access—are they different concepts or are they the same? What do they mean for the researchers at NCI at Frederick? “Open-access (OA) literature is digital, online, free of charge, and free of most copyright and licensing restrictions. What makes it possible is the Internet and the consent of the author or copyright-holder,” according to an open access website maintained by Peter Suber, director, Harvard Open Access Project.
Robin Meckley and Tracie Frederick 02.10.2015
Scientific Library February 2015

Outreach | Career and Technology Center Guides Students in Real-Life Careers

Frederick County Public School students have a unique opportunity—a chance to get a real-world, hands-on experience in biomedical science and biotechnology before they even graduate from high school, thanks to the Frederick County Career and Technology Center (CTC). Several years ago, the CTC established its biomedical sciences program with a curriculum from Project Lead the Way, a nonprofit, nationwide developer of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in elementary, middle, and high schools.
Carolynne Keenan 02.09.2015
Outreach February 2015

Awards | NCI at Frederick Employees Honored at NCI Director’s Awards Program

Nineteen staff members affiliated with NCI at Frederick or the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR) were recognized at the 2014 NCI Director’s Award Ceremony for their outstanding contributions to advancing cancer research. The ceremony, held Dec. 1, took place at the NIH Natcher Conference Center, on the main campus in Bethesda.
Nancy Parrish 02.02.2015
Awards People February 2015

Students | Writing My Way to My Future

“The future depends on what you do today.” Those wise words were spoken by Mahatma Gandhi. Before I started my Werner H. Kirsten (WHK) student internship, I did not know what I know now. I only knew what each of Gandhi’s words meant individually. I now understand the full meaning of the phrase. To me, Gandhi’s words mean that nothing in life is handed to you. You have to work hard today to get the results you want tomorrow.
Nathalie Walker 02.02.2015
Students Outreach February 2015