UNIGE 3R Prize 2025 Awarded for Breakthrough in Kidney Cancer Research

Since 2016, the University of Geneva (UNIGE) has awarded the 3R Prize to recognize research that advances the replacement, reduction, or refinement (3R) of animal use in science. The 2025 prize was awarded on 3 June 2025 to Prof. Patrycja Nowak-Sliwinska and Dr. Daniel Benamran for developing a novel protocol to culture kidney cancer organoids from patient-derived cells.

A quarter of metastatic kidney cancers are resistant to first-line treatments, making alternative therapies essential. Their efficacy and toxicity are mainly evaluated using animal models. Patient-derived organoids, although promising, remain underused for this type of cancer due to the high genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity of the cells involved.

The method created bu the UNIGE researchers recreates a realistic tumor microenvironment by co-culturing tumor cells with other kidney cells, producing stable and representative organoids.

“Since the organoids come directly from the patient’s cells, we can now evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of proposed therapies for each person,” explains Patrycja Nowak-Sliwinska.

This innovation addresses the urgent need for alternative treatments in cases where kidney cancer resists first-line therapies. It was recognized for being reliable, cost-effective, and widely applicable, aligning with UNIGE’s commitment to ethical, human-relevant research and international 3R standards.

The work was published in Molecular Therapy and marks a successful collaboration between UNIGE’s Faculty of Science, Faculty of Medicine, and HUG.

📸 UNIGE, © Olivier Zimmerman. L to R: Enrica Bordignon (Vice-Dean – Faculty of Science), Valentin Mieville, Daniel Benamran, Patrycja Nowak-Sliwinska, Sébastien Castelltort (Vice-Rector – Research and Sustainability).