According to Statistics Korea, cancer accounts for the majority of deaths in Korea, in 2021. Among cancers which constitutes 26% of all recorded cases, lung cancer stands out as the most prevalent. In drug screening research such as genetic modification and targeted therapy, scientists widely employ organoids that possess the genetic characteristics of individual patients. However, replicating the intricate internal environment of a lung cancer patient’s body by solely using organoids, remains a formidable task. 
  Recently, a group of researchers including Professor Jinah Jang and Dr. Yoo-mi Choi from the Department of Mechanical Engineering (ME) at POSTECH, along with Jinguen Rheey, CEO, and Haram Lee, principal researcher at Gradiant Bioconvergence achieved a significant breakthrough. The study was published in the international journal, Biofabrication. Using a hydrogel derived from a decellularized extracellular matrix obtained from porcine lungs, it was possible to recreate the internal environment of a lung cancer patient. 
  The research team developed three distinct types of bioinks utilizing organoids derived from lung cancer patients, fibroblasts from patients with an underlying disease, and vascular cells. LudECM was used as a material to replicate the intricate tumor microenvironment consisting of organoids, stromal cells, and vascular cells. Cultivating lung cancer organoids in LudECM successfully preserved the specific lung cancer subtype and genetic mutation characteristics of the patients. Compared to conventional Martrigel, LudECM exhibited significantly heightened sensitivity when testing drug reactions in lung cancer organoids combined with fibrosis models. 
  Through experiments conducted with clinical drugs, the research team observed that a lung cancer model with fibrosis has increased drug resistance compared to a general lung cancer model. Moreover, the team’s vascularized model demonstrated instances where drug delivery could be impeded due to drug absorption into surrounding matrices or interactions between cancer cells and stromal cells. The research team’s LudECM, acknowledged as a valuable biomaterial for culturing lung organoids, has obtained recognition. The technology has been patented and transferred to EDmicBio, currently undergoing commercialization processes.