The biobank is expected to have wide utility, enabling scientists to identify the genes that specific cancers depend on for growth, and opening up new targets for future therapies. The study reflects efforts over several years to refine tumour models, known as organoids, and make them more accessible to the research community. The biobank contains organoids across five cancer types: colorectal, oesophageal, pancreatic, stomach and ovarian. The paper’s first author, Dr Carmen Herranz-Ors of the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: “By building this organoid biobank, which is a long-term resource of cancer models, we’ve created a powerful new way to study cancer in models that much more closely resemble patient tumours. Dr Catherine Elliott, Director of Research at Cancer Research UK, said: “Organoids give scientists the ability to study cancer in richer detail, giving them new insights into its weak spots.