Multiple childhood brain tumors, like cortical gliomas, arise from the cortex, the outer layer of the largest part of the brain and the brain's most expanded structure. Currently, around 6 in 10 children are still alive five years after they were diagnosed with a malignant tumor of the central nervous system. Research into a better understanding of how brain tumors arise and develop could help researchers in finding possible targets for treatment.

To study the development of the brain and brain tumors, scientists use organoids: 3D mini-organs or mini-tumors grown in the lab. Scientists at the Princess Máxima Center and the Hubrecht Institute created a new cortex organoid that better represents the human brain.

The new study led by dr. Benedetta Artegiani, research group leader at the Máxima Center and Delilah Hendriks, Oncode-researcher at the Hubrecht Institute and affiliated group leader at the Máxima Center, is published in Nature Communications. The new cortex organoid that they generated more closely represents the human brain in multiple aspects: their shape, their architectural organization and several properties of their cells.