Fuente: WIPO "tomato" Described herein are systems, methods, and interconnecting porous hydrogel blocks for cultivating tumor cells ex vivo. A block may comprise a three-dimensional continuous polymeric matrix with a network of microporous cavities, and may be configured to interconnect with at least one other block. A system may be configured to cultivate tumor cells when seeded with at least one line of tumor cells isolated from at least one specimen and one or more additional cell types. A method may include seeding at least one block with at least one line of tumor cells isolated from at least one specimen and one or more additional cell types and exposing the cells to dynamic culture conditions.