Spotlight on Organoids: Expert Panel

What can you do with organoids? How do they provide model systems? Which of their properties makes them suitable as experimental models, and which of their properties create challenges to overcome? In this expert organoid panel, Dr. Meritxell Huch (University of Cambridge), Dr. Farzan Pourfarzad (Hubrecht Organoid Technology), Dr. Ryan Conder (STEMCELL Technologies), and Dr. Sumeer Dhar (AMSBIO) discuss these questions and more as they address topics from RegMedNet's spotlight on organoids. Topics include:

• Functions and features of organoids that make them suitable as model systems.
• Considerations for organoid cultures including starting material and culture conditions.
• Current challenges facing organoid users, and how they may be overcome.

Speaker Information: Meritxell Huch, Group Leader - University of Cambridge After completing postdoctoral studies in the lab of Dr. Hans Clevers, Dr. Huch established her own research group working on elucidating the replicative potential of adult stem cells during tissue regeneration and disease. She is the ‘Women in Cell Biology Early Career Medal Winner 2018’ and was also awarded the NC3Rs International Prize. Farzin Pourfarzad, Group leader - Hubrecht Organoid Technology Dr. Pourfarzad began his career studying globin gene regulation in adult hematopoietic stem cells and epigenetic profiling of myeloid progenitor cells during differentiation. He is now group leader at Hubrecht Organoid Technology (HUB) leading organoid research and development projects. Ryan Conder, Senior Scientist - STEMCELL Technologies Inc. Dr. Conder is a Senior Scientist and Team Lead of the Intestinal Group at STEMCELL Technologies. Prior to joining STEMCELL, Ryan investigated the mechanisms regulating proliferation and differentiation of adult intestinal stem cells in the group of Dr. Jürgen Knoblich. He is also a principal investigator on the Horizon 2020 European Research Council (ERC) INTENS project. Sumeer Dhar, Manager of Screening Services and Technology - AMSBIO Dr. Dhar has over 12 years of experience in the field of oncology and has been involved in 3D ex vivo cell culture technologies for early drug development and profiling using pairwise drug combinatorial approaches. Sumeer is continuing his quest in utilizing 3D ex vivo platforms for preclinical and translational aspects of drug development.