Journal Article DKFZ-2026-00867

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Bottom-Up Programming of Cell States in Cancer Organoids with Defined Synthetic Adhesion Cues.

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2026
Wiley-VCH Weinheim

Advanced materials nn, nn () [10.1002/adma.202517390]
 GO

Abstract: Despite advances in defined culture systems, current organoid models lack programmable control of transcriptomic states beyond fixed genetic constraints or broadly specific microenvironmental conditions. Here, a bottom-up biomaterial-based platform is introduced to program cell state changes in pancreatic cancer organoids by tuning minimal adhesion cues within a synthetic matrix. A Design of Experiments framework is used to systematically model the patient-specific transcriptome-wide impact of matrix-presented adhesion cues. Focusing on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) as a proof-of-concept cellular program, a multiobjective optimization approach is applied to identify patient-specific matrix compositions that enrich EMT-associated transcriptional programs. Organoids cultured in these optimized matrices exhibit transcriptomic signatures consistent with EMT enrichment and coordinated shift in EMT-associated regulatory signatures. Secretome profiling further reveals changes in cytokines previously linked to EMT-associated inflammatory, hypoxia, and TGF-β signaling. Together, these findings demonstrate that quantitative and targeted modulation of defined adhesion cues enables programmable control of transcriptomic states in pancreatic cancer organoids.

Keyword(s): computational biomaterials design ; organoid microenvironment engineering ; patient‐derived cancer organoids ; synthetic extracellular matrix ; transcriptomic state programming

Classification:

Note: epub

Contributing Institute(s):
  1. DKTK Koordinierungsstelle Dresden (DD01)
Research Program(s):
  1. 899 - ohne Topic (POF4-899) (POF4-899)

Appears in the scientific report 2026
Database coverage:
Medline ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Engineering, Computing and Technology ; Current Contents - Physical, Chemical and Earth Sciences ; DEAL Wiley ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF >= 25 ; JCR ; NationallizenzNationallizenz ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection
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 Record created 2026-04-14, last modified 2026-04-14



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