Tumor Organoids Uncovered: A Molecular Lens on Cancer Complexity
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Oncology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: oncology
Interests: Tumor Organoid Technology; Pseudomyxoma Peritonei; Cytoreductive Surgery; Peritoneum Tumor
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to invite you to contribute to our upcoming Special Issue titled "Tumor Organoids Uncovered: A Molecular Lens on Cancer Complexity."
Tumor organoids have emerged as revolutionary three-dimensional culture systems that recapitulate the complex architecture, cellular heterogeneity, and molecular characteristics of human cancers. These sophisticated in vitro models bridge the gap between traditional two-dimensional cell cultures and animal models, offering unprecedented opportunities to study cancer biology, drug resistance mechanisms, and personalized therapeutic approaches. The field has rapidly evolved from basic research applications to clinical translation, with organoids now being used for precision medicine, drug screening, and biomarker discovery. The molecular complexity captured by these systems provides insights into tumor microenvironment interactions, metabolic reprogramming, and therapeutic vulnerabilities that were previously inaccessible.
This Special Issue aims to showcase cutting-edge translational applications of tumor organoid technology, emphasizing their role in advancing our molecular understanding of cancer complexity and their clinical implementation. The scope aligns with IJMS's focus on molecular sciences by highlighting the molecular mechanisms underlying organoid biology, their applications in precision oncology, and their potential for therapeutic innovation. We seek to present comprehensive insights into how organoid models are transforming cancer research and clinical practice, from fundamental molecular discoveries to patient-derived applications.
In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Patient-derived organoid models for precision medicine and therapeutic stratification;
- Molecular characterization and genomic profiling of tumor organoids;
- Drug screening and resistance mechanisms using organoid platforms;
- Organoid-based biomarker discovery and validation;
- Tumor microenvironment modeling in organoid systems;
- Single-cell and multi-omics approaches in organoid research;
- Organoid co-culture systems and immune cell interactions;
- Clinical translation and regulatory considerations for organoid-based assays;
- Artificial intelligence and machine learning applications in organoid analysis;
- Organoid biobanking and standardization protocols;
- Therapeutic target identification using organoid models;
- Organoid applications in rare cancer research.
We look forward to receiving your contributions.
Dr. Eleftherios Makris
Prof. Dr. Konstantinos Ioannis Votanopoulos
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- tumor organoids
- precision medicine
- cancer modeling
- drug screening
- patient-derived models
- molecular characterization
- personalized therapy
- translational research
- biomarker discovery
- clinical application
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