Switzerland plays a key role in organoid research. This was evident at the 4th Next-Gen Organ-on-Chips & Organoids Workshop in Pratteln near Basel, where leading research institutions were represented. However, to remain internationally competitive, long-term research funding is crucial. Programs such as the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), Innosuisse, and the Swiss 3R Competence Centre (3RCC) are essential to further advance innovation in this field. In the coming years, political debate over the extent to which the state financially supports and regulates such developments will become increasingly important.
Genetic engineering as the basis of organoid research
The development and application of organoids is closely linked to modern genetic engineering methods. Organoids are often derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells), which can be genetically modified to create specific disease models. This is particularly important for researching genetically based diseases such as cystic fibrosis or cancer. Moreover, technologies such as CRISPR-Cas9 open up new possibilities to precisely investigate and correct genetic mutations in organoids, which could revolutionize therapeutic approaches in the long term.
A groundbreaking field
For about 15 years now, it has been possible to produce individual organoids, for example intestinal organoids, brain organoids, or cancer organoids. Today, even different types of organoids can be combined into so-called multi-organ chips. These models make it possible to address more complex questions. Using vascularized cancer organoids—i.e., cancer organoids that contain blood vessels—processes in tumors can be studied more effectively. The blood-brain barrier, a complex tissue system that protects the brain from toxins, can be modeled by combining different organoids. The model can then be tested for drug permeability, for example. By combining various tissues, including immune cells, a kind of in vitro immune system can be constructed. Vaccines, for instance, can be tested on this system.
Applications of organoids
Cystic fibrosis is a disease in which a specific gene is mutated. Identifying the right therapy for the right patient in clinical practice is often difficult. Testing different drug combinations directly on the patient is often time-consuming and burdensome. Therefore, a personalized medicine approach is used: organoids cultivated from tissue taken directly from the patient. Various drug combinations can then be tested on these organoids. The combination that works best in vitro is then used on the patient. The same principle is applied to cancer patients: by testing drug combinations directly on patient-specific organoids, the appropriate therapy can be found more quickly and easily.
Organoids are also used in preclinical research: drug screenings can be conducted directly on human tissue using organoids. This is expected to allow for faster translation into clinical application than the use of animal models or cell lines.
Political dimension of organoid research
The use of organoids in research—and potentially in therapy—raises ethical and regulatory questions. While organoids have the potential to reduce animal testing, they also present the challenge of establishing clear ethical guidelines for the use of human tissue and genetic modifications. Political debates about the protection of patient data, the handling of genetic changes, and the regulatory framework for clinical trials are therefore inevitable.
(Image: Madeline Andrews, Arnold Kriegstein's lab, UCSF)
