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Review
. 2025 Aug 21;15(8):394.
doi: 10.3390/jpm15080394.

Patient-Derived Organoid Biobanks for Translational Research and Precision Medicine: Challenges and Future Perspectives

Floriana Jessica Di Paola  1 , Giulia Calafato  1 , Pier Paolo Piccaluga  1 , Giovanni Tallini  2   3 , Kerry Jane Rhoden  2
Affiliations
Review

Patient-Derived Organoid Biobanks for Translational Research and Precision Medicine: Challenges and Future Perspectives

Floriana Jessica Di Paola et al. J Pers Med. .

Abstract

Over the past decade, patient-derived organoids (PDOs) have emerged as powerful in vitro models that closely recapitulate the histological, genetic, and functional features of their parental primary tissues, representing a ground-breaking tool for cancer research and precision medicine. This advancement has led to the development of living PDO biobanks, collections of organoids derived from a wide range of tumor types and patient populations, which serve as essential platforms for drug screening, biomarker discovery, and functional genomics. The classification and global distribution of these biobanks reflect a growing international effort to standardize protocols and broaden accessibility, supporting both basic and translational research. While their relevance to personalized medicine is increasingly recognized, the establishment and maintenance of PDO biobanks remain technically demanding, particularly in terms of optimizing long-term culture conditions, preserving sample viability, and mimicking the tumor microenvironment. In this context, this review provides an overview of the classification and worldwide distribution of tumor and paired healthy tissue-specific PDO biobanks, explores their translational applications, highlights recent advances in culture systems and media formulations, and discusses current challenges and future perspectives for their integration into clinical practice.

Keywords: living biobanks; organoids; personalized medicine; translational research.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Establishment of a living organoid biobank and its applications in personalized medicine.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Number of papers published per year on organoid biobanks since 2014, according to PubMed. Search words: organoid biobank (databases: PubMed, Google Scholar).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Worldwide distribution of tumor-specific patient-derived organoid biobanks. Search words: organoid, tumor patients derived organoid, biobank (databases: PubMed, Google Scholar).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Tumor-specific culture media for long-term expansion of PDOs. Search words: organoid, organoids culture media, gastrointestinal/liver/pancreas/breast/ovarian/prostate/bladder/lung organoids (databases: PubMed, Google Scholar).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Overview of the main features related to innovative approaches for PDO cultures.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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