HCMI Fact Sheet

Human Cancer Models Initiative (HCMI) Communications Fact Sheet

HCMI Background and Goal

The Human Cancer Models Initiative (HCMI) is an international consortium consisting of National Cancer Institute (NCI), Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cancer Research UK, and Hubrecht Organoid Technology, whose goal is to generate and annotate up to 1000 next-generation cancer models (NGCMs) derived from patient tissues. The models are being developed by Cancer Model Development Centers.

HCMI Models

• The HCMI consortium is generating novel patient-derived organoids, conditionally reprogrammed cells, neurospheres and other next-generation cell models as a community resource for researchers everywhere to obtain and use. The HCMI models are annotated with clinical, biospecimen, and molecular characterization data of the derived model and associated normal and tumor tissues.
• The HCMI models represent a wide breadth of cancers including pediatric and rare cancers (see figure) from primary, recurrent, metastatic, or pre-malignant tissue types.
• The Consortium announced the availability of over 200 HCMI models that are immediately obtainable at ATCC; additional models will be released regularly.

HCMI Resources

• HCMI is an active ongoing program, and additional models are added as they become available.
• HCMI models’ case-associated data include clinical, biospecimen, and molecular characterization information from the derived-model, originating tumor, and normal tissue. HCMI data are available as open or controlled access, and are housed at NCI’s Genomic Data Commons (GDC). Molecular characterization of case-matched normal tissue and, when possible, genomic characterization of the originating parent tumor accompany the HCMI models.
• Visit the HCMI Searchable Catalog to query available models and for information about each model. The models can be queried by patient demographics, tumor information and model details including gender, race, primary site of tumor, tissue acquisition site, model type, etc.
• There are a few multiple models derived from the same patient, such as those from primary tumors as well as from metastases; enabling researchers to study tumor progression.
• ATCC grows and expands organoids and other HCMI cell models. They ensure quality of the product and provide protocols for culturing. These protocols are made available at https://www.atcc.org/hcmi.

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[V5.0 Last updated: March 22, 2022]