This philanthropy-funded project of CPMC’s Research Institute has identified individualized treatments for eight cancers: breast, brain, melanoma, liver, ovarian, colorectal, pancreatic and lung.

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A bold idea that’s changing how cancer care is delivered

California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute (CPMCRI) is leading an innovative program to further Sutter Health's cancer precision medicine research through the Cancer Avatar Research Project—a living biology approach to translational research for fully individualized cancer care.

CPMC is one of only a handful of community medical centers worldwide developing mouse avatars for research to fully personalize cancer treatment — a bold idea that’s changing how cancer care is delivered. The mice avatars allow testing of up to hundreds of different cancer drug combinations at a time. Then, working together with clinicians, researchers can more quickly determine which treatment is most likely to work for a particular patient.

The Cancer Avatar Research Project was launched entirely with philanthropic investments. Philanthropy has funded 100% of this research project to date. More funds will need to be raised to continue this visionary work.

Learn more about CPMCRI's Cancer Avatar Project.

“Sometimes miracles appear through human hands, research, and medicine,” says CPMC cancer patient Grace Mansell. “Participating in clinical research at Sutter Health through the Cancer Avatar Research Project was one of the best decisions I made during those dark hours.”

Read Grace’s Story

• By measuring cancerous DNA in patients’ blood before and after treatment, CPMC’s Cancer Avatar Research scientists can determine if patients should continue current therapies or switch to something different.
• The Cancer Avatar Research Project team discovered that a drug called Bufalin inhibits a specific protein that causes melanoma. The drug’s surprise ingredient: toad venom extract.