Functional Drug Testing in Zebrafish Avatars to Personalize Pediatric Cancer Treatment

Every child’s tumor is unique, and genetic sequencing can help identify potential treatment options. However, predicting which drugs will actually work remains a major challenge. This project, funded by the Kentucky Pediatric Cancer Research Trust Fund, will integrate zebrafish patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) into personalized medicine workflows by testing treatments based on RNA sequencing or proteomics data. Instead of relying solely on genetic predictions, we will functionally test how a patient’s tumor responds to different drugs in a living system, providing real-time feedback to refine treatment choices. This innovative approach could lead to more effective, targeted therapies for children with cancer.