Functional Precision Oncology, a new compass for cancer care | Apricot Bio

Summary

In this special panel episode recorded in Zurich, the founders of Apricot Bio, Michael Zering (CEO), Lucas Pelkmans (Scientific Founder), and Independent Professor Andreas Wicki from the University of Zurich explore the new field of functional precision oncology—an approach that goes beyond genomics to test how living cancer cells actually respond to treatment. The conversation covers the limits of genetic diagnostics, the promise of ex vivo drug testing, AI-driven decision-making, and how smarter trial design could transform cancer care. The panel also dives into Switzerland’s biotech ecosystem, venture capital realities, and what it takes to bring high-risk, high-impact science from the lab to the clinic.

Show Notes

00:00 – 03:30 | Introduction & Panel Setup
Recorded in Zurich, this special panel episode introduces functional precision oncology and why current diagnostic paradigms are reaching their limits.
03:30 – 12:00 | The Limits of Genomics in Cancer Care
Why genetic screening alone can’t capture tumor complexity, molecular heterogeneity, and real-world treatment response.
12:00 – 22:00 | What Is Functional Precision Oncology?
Testing patient-derived cancer cells ex vivo to understand drug response, cellular context, and therapeutic combinations.
22:00 – 32:00 | “The Google Maps of the Cell” Analogy
How contextual, real-time cellular data improves decision-making compared to static genetic snapshots.
32:00 – 43:00 | Clinical Trials Reimagined
Why traditional drug-centric trials struggle—and how diagnostic-led, patient-specific trials could change oncology research.
43:00 – 53:00 | AI, Data Science & Cellular Context
How machine learning models integrate phenotypic, spatial, and functional data to predict treatment response.
53:00 – 1:03:00 | Drug Combinations & Repurposing
Why single agents often fail—and how functional testing uncovers synergistic therapies missed by standard screens.
1:03:00 – 1:12:00 | Beyond Oncology: What Comes Next?
Potential applications in immunology, hematology, neurology, and other diseases driven by cellular dysfunction.
1:12:00 – 1:20:00 | Switzerland’s Biotech Ecosystem
Strengths, gaps, venture capital realities, and how Swiss innovation compares globally.
1:20:00 – 1:23:00 | Founder Advice, Books & Closing Thoughts
Lessons for scientist-founders, navigating tough funding environments, and recommended reading.

Links

APRICOT BIO | LinkedIn

APRICOT BIO | 289 followers on LinkedIn. Drug response profiling for functional precision oncology | Apricot Therapeutics is a spatially resolved cellular information company dedicated to the field of functional precision medicine, in which treatment is informed by high-plex image-based profiling of the complex drug responses of individual cells that make up each patient's unique cancer. We offer a full suite of profiling products that extract a large amount of spatially resolved information, from molecule to phenotype, to identify how each cell in a tumor responds to a series of drugs. The data accumulated on Apricot's cellular drug response information platform offer improved treatment decisions of patients and prioritization of drug candidates.

LinkedInAPRICOT BIO

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-zering/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-pelkmans-5451a74/

Google Maps of Cell Analysis

Logo of the University of Zurich, to homepageMarita Fuchs