The Oxford Organoid Hub (seed funded by DPAG and the Oxford BHF CRE) is soon to be established in the Sherrington Building. The hub, to be co-directed by Christopher Toepfer and Filipa Simões, will bring together expertise from across the University, creating a unique platform for developing advanced 3D organoid systems - miniaturised versions of human organs that can be grown in a dish. These organoids provide a more complex and realistic model for studying human biology and disease than traditional 2D cultures, offering new possibilities for understanding disease mechanisms, testing drugs and exploring how different cell types communicate within organs.
At the OOH, we are:
- Establishing a patient derived iPSC biobank, integrated with clinical data and patient outcomes.
- Creating human in vitro tissues with higher maturity and complexity than traditional 2D cultures.
- Employing platforms to dissect developmental and pathological mechanisms.
- Developing multi-organoid systems to study tissue interactions and assess drug safety and efficacy.
- Building human-relevant biological data to support in-silico trials.
The hub will support a Discovery Core, where DPAG researchers can collaborate with experts in imaging, single-cell genomics and bioengineering to uncover new biological pathways, disease targets and innovative therapies.
For researchers in the Sherrington Building, the Oxford Organoid Hub is an exciting new opportunity to engage with cutting-edge technologies, cross-disciplinary collaborations and enhance the impact of their work. Whether your focus is fundamental biology, translational research or drug development, the hub will be a transformative platform - with access to high-throughput production and patient-specific models, researchers will have the tools to drive innovative discoveries, ultimately leading to more effective treatments and deeper insights into human health and disease.
If you would like to learn more about the hub get in touch: Christopher.toepfer@cardiov.ox.ac.uk or filipa.simoes@idrm.ox.ac.uk
Self-organizing epicardioids: human pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiac organoids with ventricular and epicardial lineages. Credit Selin Tüzüner and Konstantinos Miti.