Centre for In Vivo Modelling Service Core

At the Centre for In Vivo Modelling (CIVM), we combine advanced animal genetics and cutting-edge technologies to drive cancer research. Our multidisciplinary team specialises in the generation and maintenance of genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs), humanised mouse strains, and patient-derived models (xenografts and organoids), using innovations such as CRISPR gene editing, embryo manipulation, and in vivo genetic screening. We develop and cryopreserve new cancer models that closely replicate human disease, supporting translational studies that inform effective therapies. Our approach integrates rigorous scientific standards, ethical oversight, and collaborative expertise, aiming to accelerate progress in understanding cancer biology and developing better treatments for patients.

Our Centre is dedicated to driving innovation and excellence in cancer research through advanced in vivo modelling. We work in close collaboration with the ICR researchers and clinicians at The Royal Marsden to generate genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) and patient-derived models, such as patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) and patient-derived organoids (PDOs) to interrogate cancer biology in its own ecosystem. By leveraging these sophisticated in vivo systems, the Centre aims to:

  • Develop innovative cancer models in collaboration with ICR researchers to advance cancer research and drug discovery.
  • Work in partnership with The Royal Marsden Hospital to obtain patient samples and generate new patient-derived cancer models for translational studies.
  • Foster close interdisciplinary collaboration with drug discovery teams to leverage these in vivo models in the creation and testing of next-generation anti-cancer therapies.
  • Continuously improve the sophistication and relevance of our cancer models, ensuring they more faithfully recapitulate the complexity of human disease and enhance the translational impact of our research.

 

Our services

Advantages of cryopreserving your strains:

  • Allows you to save space, by getting the mice you need, when you need;
  • Reduces your animal costs;
  • Reduces animal use;
  • Reduces risk from disasters (e.g. disease outbreaks, breeding cessation, equipment failures, genetic contamination, natural disasters, etc…).

 What can be cryopreserved?

  • Mouse Sperm
  • Mouse Embryos
  • Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells
  • Mouse Oocytes

 Sperm Cryopreservation:

Description: Sperm is retrieved from the epididymal tissues of 3 male mice and is cryopreserved in 20 to 30 straws that are stored in liquid-phase, liquid nitrogen across two tanks in two separate locations (SRD and CCDD), to ensure sample safety and mitigate risks associated to unexpected or uncontrollable events.

Material needed: 3 males, reproductively active, 12-25 weeks old

Timeline: 2-6 weeks (dependant on QC method of choice)

Considerations: this method of cryopreservation is rapid and cheap; however, it only preserves half of the genome. This method is only recommended for single mutations on a common inbred background.

Quality Control: we provide different levels of Quality Control (QC) for different price ranges.

  1. Test thaw QC: we will thaw 1 straw the day after cryopreservation and visually assess motility and viability of the recovered sperm
  2. IVF and culture to blastocyst QC: we highly recommend this QC step. In addition to test thaw, we will also perform IVF and culture embryos up to blastocyst stage. We will provide the investigator with a fertility rate (%) for the recovered sperm. We will charge an extra cost to cover the IVF procedure.
  3. IVF and embryo transfer QC: In addition to test thaw, we will perform IVF and transfer 2-cell embryos into up to 3 pseudopregnant females to generate viable embryos/live pups. We will charge an extra cost to cover the IVF and embryo transfer procedures.

    Please note that we require you to provide your genotyping protocol, as well as full detail of the genetic content of each strain that you submit for cryopreservation.

Diagram of Sperm Cryopreservation

Embryo Cryopreservation:

Description: Female mice are hormonally superovulated and oocytes are retrieved for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) with sperm from donor male. Resulting embryos are placed in cryoprotectant and loaded into multiple straws, which are gradually cooled and stored in liquid-phase liquid nitrogen in two separate tanks.

Material needed: Donor male and 8-10 donor females

Timeline: 12-15 weeks

Diagram of Embryo Cryopreservation

Embryonic Stem Cells Cryopreservation:

Not available, yet.

Oocyte Cryopreservation:

Not available, yet.

Cryostorage:

If you have cryopreserved mouse sperm/embryo/oocytes at another institution, we can cryostorage your samples for an annual fee. We do require that the investigator takes charge of shipping costs into our facility, and that thawing and genotyping protocols are submitted to the CIVM.

The CIVM stores all samples in liquid-phase liquid nitrogen tanks (CryoPlus1, ThermoFisher Scientific). Material retrieved from each strain is split between 2 tanks, a main and a backup tank, for redundancy. For additional safety, these 2 tanks are located in two separate buildings at ICR Sutton. Both tanks are continuously monitored by T-scan alarm systems and undergo annual service, as well as daily visual inspections.

 

Sperm Cryorecovery:

Description: Frozen sperm is cryorecovered by IVF, followed by embryo transfer. We can purchase wild-type female oocyte donors of the same genetic background, or alternatively the investigator can provide homozygous oocyte donors of the same strain.

Material needed: straw with frozen sperm and 8 to 12 females for IVF, 7-16 weeks old.

Timeline: 12-15 weeks

Diagram of Sperm Cryorecovery

 

Embryo Cryorecovery:

Description: Frozen 2-cell embryos are thawed and transferred into pseudopregnant females.

Material needed: straw(s) with frozen 2-cell embryos

Timeline: 8-10 week


Oocyte Cryorecovery:

Not available, yet.

 

Mouse rederivation

Description: Mouse rederivation is a process used to produce pathogen-free mouse colonies by removing microbial contaminants from existing lines. The procedure can be performed either through natural mating or in vitro fertilization (IVF):

  • In natural mating, embryos are obtained from donor mice and transferred into pathogen-free recipient females.
  • In IVF-based rederivation, fertilized embryos are created in vitro using gametes from donor mice and then implanted into clean recipient females.

Both methods effectively eliminate pathogens, allowing safe importation of mouse strains from lower health-status facilities into the ICR BSU. Samples from both litter and recipient mother will be sent for Health Screening and the associated costs will be charged separately to the Investigator.

Material needed: For IVF-based rederivation we require the investigator to provide 2 males, reproductively active, 12-25 weeks old, and the CIVM will purchase wild-type female egg-donors. Alternatively, if maintaining homozygosity is essential, the investigator will need to provide additional 6-10 females, 7-16 weeks old.

Timeline: 12-15 week

Mouse Rederivation Mating Diagram

Mouse Rederivation IVF diagram

We are currently setting up CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing protocols. Soon, you’ll be able to apply for projects that involve developing new alleles based on:

  • Knockout by indel formation
  • Knockout by precise deletion
  • Conditional knockout
  • Knock-in of point mutations
  • Knock-in of small tags
  • Large knock-in
  • Exon replacement

These alleles will be developed based on Electroporation of Microinjection of CRISPR/Cas9 system reagents.

We will collaborate with you to design the best strategy and help you generate the genetically engineered mice you need for your project. 

We also provide:

  • Development of humanised mouse strains
  • Development of Patient-derived xenografts (PDX) and organoid models

Latest ICR News

13/04/26

A drug currently being tested in clinical trials for a rare blood cancer could also be used to treat lobular breast cancer, according to a study published in the journal Cancer Research.

Scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, found that the drug – a LOX inhibitor – can slow the growth and spread of lobular breast cancer in mice.

The researchers, based at the Breast Cancer Now Toby Robins Research Centre at The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), now hope to progress the drug to clinical trials for this under-researched type of breast cancer.

Identifying a gap in research

Invasive lobular breast cancers make up 15 out of every 100 breast cancers. Because these tumours infiltrate the surrounding tissue in single cell lines – rather than a tumour mass – they are difficult to detect through clinical imaging and it is hard to determine how big they are. This means that they are excluded from most clinical trials, as the impact of the treatment on tumour size needs to be measured.

Currently, there are no approved drugs that specifically target this disease, and it is treated in much the same way as other types of breast cancer, despite the fact that lobular tumours grow differently from other breast cancers, tend to spread differently, and have some distinct molecular features.

A key to fit the LOX

Lobular breast cancer is difficult to study in the lab, so the team used samples donated by people with lobular breast cancer to grow lobular tumours in the milk ducts of mice. In doing so, they were able to accurately mimic the diversity of lobular tumours seen in people.

Some lobular breast cancer cells also release an enzyme called LOX, which allows the cells to modify surrounding collagen fibres and to increase tissue stiffness. When this happens, it improves the ability of the cancer cells to grow and spread.

The research team treated the tumours with a drug called a LOX inhibitor, which is already in early clinical trials for the treatment of a rare blood cancer called myelofibrosis. Collagen fibres play an important role in this disease of the bone marrow, and the team found that lobular breast cancer cells also rely on these fibres. The single cell files of lobular cells grow and spread along collagen fibres.

The drug was able to disrupt these interactions between lobular breast cancer cells and supportive collagen fibres in their surrounding environment. Disrupting these interactions decreased tumour growth and spread, and the mice involved in the study tolerated the drug well with minimal side effects.

Increasing treatment effectiveness

The team is searching for increased activity in certain genes that is closely linked to how well the tumour responded to the drug. In the future, this could be used to help doctors predict how people diagnosed with lobular breast cancer may respond to LOX inhibitor treatment.

Based on their findings, the researchers think that high activity of the gene called JUN may help lobular breast cancers resist the standard hormone therapy, tamoxifen. The team believe that in the future, combining LOX inhibitors with standard hormone therapy currently used to treat lobular breast cancers could enhance the effectiveness of hormone therapy.

Almost 20 years ago, researchers at the ICR discovered that the LOX enzyme is crucial in promoting cancer spread. Then, in 2017, another ICR team designed and validated a drug to target LOX, which they showed slowed breast cancer tumour growth and metastases in mice.

Accelerating progress

By creating models of lobular breast cancer in mice that more closely mimic the disease in people, this research has improved the tools available to study lobular breast cancer, helping scientists around the world to better understand the disease.

The team are hopeful that, since the drug is already in clinical trials for another cancer, it will soon provide a new treatment option for people living with lobular breast cancer.

Professor Cathrin Brisken, Leader of the Endocrine Control Mechanisms Group at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said:

“Lobular breast cancer has historically been neglected. It’s a cancer that’s difficult to see on scans, and it’s difficult to model. My team have created a new model, by putting the tumour cells inside the milk ducts of mice. This allows the cells to find the environment they are used to, and to grow, so that we can study them.

“Now, these exciting developments are happening. I don’t want to give false hope, but things are moving in the right direction, and we have come a long way.

“The next stage for this research will be clinical trials – we are currently applying for funding to launch a trial with 91 patients.”

Dr Renee Flaherty, Postdoctoral Training Fellow at The Institute of Cancer Research, London, said:

“Working on lobular breast cancer in the lab can be really challenging, as the models take a long time to grow. It requires a lot of dedication and patience, and many researchers have contributed along the way. Ultimately, we’ve uncovered some interesting aspects of its biology that we hope will open up new possibilities for therapeutic targeting in the future.

“Being part of the lobular breast cancer research community has been especially motivating. It’s exciting to see the progress being made, and I’ve been particularly inspired by the patients and advocates I’ve met, whose experiences and commitment to research have driven me throughout this work.”

Banner image: Invasive Lobular Carcinoma cells (yellow) growing in single files along collagen fibres (red). Credit: Dr Renee Flaherty, The Institute of Cancer Research, London.