EUROoCS

?? This week we have another exciting new research to share from one of our members, Bassel Alsaed, who conducted a study on a patient-derived Tumor-On-Chip (TOC) platform to predict immunotherapy responses in lung cancer patients. ?? ?? Immunotherapies, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), have revolutionized cancer treatment by offering durable clinical benefits. However, only a fraction of patients benefits from the expensive treatment. Despite their initial success, ICIs face critical challenges, including variable efficacy, a lack of reliable biomarkers, and insufficient preclinical models to predict patient responses—hindering progress in immuno-oncology (IO). Existing preclinical models have significant limitations: patient-derived tumor organoids lack immune contexture, while humanized mouse models suffer from high costs and reproducibility issues. To overcome these barriers, Bassel and his co-workers from Haikalab at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, developed a TOC platform, designed to simulate immune cell migration toward tumor sites and measure immune-mediated tumor killing. The TOC platform allowed the researchers to mimick the primary standard-of-care IO resistance and identified responders to anti-PD-1 therapy in combination with chemotherapy. Furthermore, the platform enabled the testing of combination IO treatments, which proved effective in a subset of patients. Additionally, by leveraging cytokine profiling, monitoring biomarkers that could aid in treatment response prediction were identified in selected patients. ?? The TOC platform will help to accelerate the development of effective IO treatments while guiding personalized treatment selection for cancer patients in the future. ?? The research was published in Science Advances and can be accessed at: https://lnkd.in/gxKVHKpM

???? Dr. Pelin Candarlioglu is a confirmed speaker at the MPS World Summit 2025 in Brussels (Belgium)! She is a published author, keynote speaker, and active advocate for OoC adoption and regulatory acceptance. She is a molecular biologist and tissue engineer with a PhD from Imperial College London. She transitioned to oncology during her PostDoc at UCL, focusing on circulating tumor cells, and later pioneered microfluidic systems for immuno-oncology at Enplas Corporation. At GSK, she expanded the portfolio of complex in vitro models (OoC) for immunotherapy and disease modeling, while leading 3Rs initiatives globally. Throughout her consultancy, she has empowered various companies across numerous MPS applications. Most recently, she has played a crucial role in strategizing the expansion of Vivodyne's technology into groundbreaking immunotherapy applications. #MPS25

???Final Call!??? Just 1?? week left to apply for the?#OrganOnChipSummerSchool2025?at the 3R-Center Tübingen ?? Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to immerse yourself in?#OrganOnChip?and?#MicrophysiologicalSystems — covering everything from?#Microfabrication, #Microfluidics, #Biomaterials, #Imaging, #Sensors, #StemCells, to?#Regulatory Aspects and beyond! ?? Apply now?and secure your spot:?https://lnkd.in/eicTyxuX

This will be the largest MPS World Summit so far. Coorgonized by EUROoCS Early bird deadline is today - May 21st! The full program is online.

?? ?Exciting News from EUROoCS!??? We are thrilled to announce that the EUROoCS Board will be expanding this year with four new board members, including the Vice-Chair. ????Election Dates:?May 19 - May 23, 2025 ???Appointment of New Board Members:?During the EUROoCS Members Meeting at the MPS World Summit 2025 We invite all active EUROoCS members to apply for the positions of Board Member or Vice-Chair. If the Vice-Chair is elected from the current board members, four new regular Board Members will be appointed. ???Board Member Profiles: Board Member: https://lnkd.in/et4wKiKP Vice-Chair: https://lnkd.in/eb8qpXWD How to Apply: Send your CV (max 2 A4) and a motivation letter (max 300 words) to?[email protected]?with the subject 'Elections 2025' by April 25th, 2025. Voting will be conducted electronically via e-voting, and the new Board members will be introduced during the EUROoCS Members Meeting at the MPS World Summit 2025. Eligibility: Only paying members are eligible to vote and nominate themselves for board positions. If you haven't paid your membership fees yet, kindly do so to participate in the election. For more information, please go to: https://lnkd.in/eTf_wwje

???Meet the Members: Martin Raasch??? In our newest feature, we’re excited to introduce Martin Raasch, CEO of Dynamic42 GmbH and board member of EUROoCS. With over 10 years of experience in the field, Martin opens up about his journey, the key challenges in Organ-on-Chip technology, and his vision for its future. ? ???Want to learn more? Check out the full feature below ?? #EUROoCS #MeetTheMembers #Organonchip #Innovation

???Meet the Members: Martin Raasch??? In our newest feature, we’re excited to introduce Martin Raasch, CEO of Dynamic42 GmbH and board member of EUROoCS. With over 10 years of experience in the field, Martin opens up about his journey, the key challenges in Organ-on-Chip technology, and his vision for its future. ? ???Want to learn more? Check out the full feature below ?? #EUROoCS #MeetTheMembers #Organonchip #Innovation

???Exciting Announcement!??? Join us for the next EUROoCS digital lectures,?Special Gut Edition, taking place on?April 22 from 17:00-18:00 CET. ?? We are thrilled to feature three outstanding researchers who are pushing the boundaries of gut health and disease modelling: ??Joram Mooiweer: Final year PhD researcher at the University Medical Center Groningen. Joram's work focuses on Celiac Disease, leveraging cutting-edge technologies like iPSCs, organoids, tissue-resident immune cells, and organ-on-chip platforms to develop patient-specific models. His research aims to uncover the molecular mechanisms driving intestinal inflammation, providing critical insights into the pathophysiology of Celiac Disease and paving the way for future therapeutic interventions. ???Lena Sophie Koch: Lena-Sophie is developing a gut-brain axis on a chip (GBOC) to study the complex interplay between the gut microbiome and brain health. Her innovative microfluidic controlled chip setup recapitulates the gut-blood barrier and the blood-brain barrier using human pluripotent stem cell-derived technology. Lena-Sophie's project, headed by Prof. Dr. Kerensa Broersen, aims to investigate the connection between microbiome variation and neuronal functioning, with a focus on neurodegenerative diseases. ???Raquel Alonso Román: Raquel is an organ-on-chip specialist at Leibniz-HKI in Jena, Germany. With a background in Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Raquel's research investigates Candida albicans pathogenicity mechanisms using intestine-on-chip models. She is currently leading a project to apply organ-on-chip models in the drug development pipeline and supporting infection biology experiments in intestinal and vaginal organ-on-chip models. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from these brilliant minds and explore the future of gut health research! ?? ???Date: April 22 ???Time: 17:00-18:00 CET Register Via QR-code or use this link: https://lnkd.in/edmuC4wy #EUROoCS #GutHealth #OrganOnChip #CeliacDisease #GutBrainAxis #Microbiome #Research #Innovation

?? EUROoCS 2024 Keynote Spotlight: Yaakov Nahmias ?? Prof. dr. Yaakov Nahmias, a renowned bioengineer and innovator whose pioneering work has transformed the fields of bioengineering and biotechnology. Yaakov Nahmias is a founding director of the Grass Center for Bioengineering at the The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, has achieved numerous milestones, including the first 3D printing of cells and the development of the first commercial Human-on-Chip technology. As a visionary entrepreneur, he co-founded the BioDesign-Israel program and biotechnology startups such as Tissue Dynamics and Believer Meats, driving breakthroughs in animal-free drug development and cultured meat production. A recipient of prestigious accolades like the NIH Career Award and the Rappaport Prize in Biomedical Research, and a fellow of AIMBE and the Royal Society of Medicine, Yaakov shares his thoughts on the future of bioengineering, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. ??Want to learn more? Watch our exclusive interview with Yaakov Nahmias! ??And stay tuned for the next interview with keynote speaker Sonja Beken! Special thanks to Gabriele Gazzaneo for filming and editing, Ilaria Carrara for the support on-site, our keynote speakers for taking the time to speak to us, Huub Weener Marie-Helene Steger-Polt Devin Veerman for preparing and conducting the interviews. #EUROoCS2024 #OrganOnChip #Bioengineering #AI #Innovation #MicrophysiologicalSystems #HealthTech https://lnkd.in/eEnpTYBm

??? Only 2 weeks left to apply for the #OrganOnChipSummerSchool2025—hosted in collaboration with EUROoCS! ?? ?? Are you a #PhD student eager to explore #OrganOnChip & #MicrophysiologicalSystems? This is your chance for a week-long deep dive into these cutting-edge, human-relevant models—equipping you with the knowledge to integrate them into your own research! ?? When? September 15-19, 2025 ?? Where? Eberhard Karls Universit?t Tübingen, Germany ?? Apply by April 1st! Don’t miss out! ?? More details & application: https://lnkd.in/es8Ptuat #PhDLife #Biomed #MPS #NAMs #OoC EUROoCS 3R-Netzwerk Baden-Württemberg NMI Naturwissenschaftliches und Medizinisches Institut