Our research

Our proof-of-concept experiments use different culture systems to demonstrate their potential. We investigate new targets, proof-of-concept drug development and host-pathogen interactions.

We are developing and characterising highly flexible cell culture platforms that can be used to investigate a wide range of respiratory and infectious conditions. We explore if laboratory lung infections in 3D models better recapitulate in vivo events in comparison to traditional 2D systems.

Organoids are complex, self-organizing microtissues grown embedded within 3D extracellular matrix. They can contain multiple differentiated cell types, exhibit cellular polarization, and often possess a central lumen and other in vivo–like architectural features.

Organoids are capable of long-term expansion in culture while remaining phenotypically and genetically stable. Primary patient-derived organoids have been described for various tissues, healthy and cancerous, including:

• colon
• intestine
• stomach
• breast
• esophagus
• lung
• liver
• prostate
• pancreas

Organoids are invaluable preclinical models for studying cancer and offer many advantages over existing human or non-human animal cancer models.