Recapitulating human cancer in a mouse

Which mouse models are most likely to mimic the genetics and biology of a particular type and stage of human cancer is an open question. Indeed, much has been written about the failure of findings in preclinical mouse models to be translated to clinical success. At the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory's Mechanisms and Models of Cancer meeting last year, Nature Biotechnology convened a panel of experts from industry and academia to debate the pros and cons of various mouse models, including GEMMs [genetically engineered mouse models], orthotopic, xenograft and allograft transplantation, with a view to improving the utility of these animals in oncology research and drug development