Orgapred Selects Hamamatsu Photonics’ CytoCube for Oncology Research and Therapeutic Discovery

ORGAPRED, a France-based core facility specializing in Patient-Derived Tumor Organoid (PDTO) research, has selected the CYTOQUBE high-throughput 3D imaging system from Hamamatsu Photonics France. The integration of this technology is intended to support personalized oncology drug screening and the discovery of new therapeutic strategies.

The CYTOQUBE system allows for rapid multi-color analysis of PDTOs, which are also referred to as tumoroids. By utilizing this technology, ORGAPRED aims to strengthen its ability to evaluate how effective specific treatments are on these patient-derived models, contributing to the advancement of personalized cancer treatment.

The Role of Patient-Derived Tumor Organoids

ORGAPRED operates as an innovative core facility dedicated to the production of PDTOs to support oncology research and personalized medicine. The process involves using tumor samples taken from patients to generate tumoroids.

These tumoroids are cultured over several weeks and then distributed into 384-well plates. This setup allows researchers to conduct drug testing on a scale that reflects the biological characteristics of the patient’s own tumor, providing a more tailored approach to identifying effective medications.

Technical Capabilities of the CYTOQUBE System

The CYTOQUBE Light-Sheet Microplate Cytometer (C15200-01RGBU) is designed for fast, information-dense imaging of multi-well cell culture plates. It combines light-sheet optics with the Zyncscan image processing platform to rapidly acquire 3D fluorescence images of every well within a microplate.

The system provides several technical advantages for 3D cell screening assays, including:

• The ability to assess PDTO viability and cell death through rapid 3D multi-color imaging.
• The use of advanced imaging processing algorithms to increase the signal-to-noise ratio by removing background fluorescence.
• The capacity to perform rapid assays regarding the size, shape, number, and color or intensity of cell populations.
• Faster analysis of tumoroids in three dimensions across entire plates compared to conventional imaging approaches.

With CYTOQUBE, we can analyze tumoroids in three dimensions across entire plates, much faster than with conventional imaging approaches. This allows us to compare drug responses more efficiently, to support personalized oncology research, and to accelerate the identification of new effective therapeutic strategiesDr. Romane Florent, Research Engineer, ORGAPRED

Development and Implementation Timeline

The partnership between Hamamatsu Photonics France and ORGAPRED began in 2021. The relationship evolved through a series of technical evaluations, conferences, and scientific exchanges over several years.

In March 2025, an on-site evaluation of the system was conducted, which supported ORGAPRED’s application for funding. This led to a public tender process that was awarded in December 2025, eventually resulting in the selection of the CYTOQUBE system for the facility located at the François-Baclesse Centre in Caen.

Impact on Drug Discovery

The transition from target identification to full drug development typically spans 12 to 15 years and is characterized by high risk. High-throughput 3D imaging systems like CYTOQUBE are designed to mitigate some of these challenges by streamlining the preclinical drug screening process.

By enabling a more comprehensive and rapid evaluation of treatment responses in 3D models, the system helps researchers identify effective therapeutic strategies more efficiently, potentially accelerating the timeline for bringing personalized oncology treatments to patients.