Center for Engineered Multilineage Organoids in 3D Microenvironment

Novel technologies aim at the development of new biological models, able to mimic complex physiological interactions. Organoids have emerged as an innovative model system, based on isolated pluripotent or adult stem cells that self-assemble in complex 3D structures, remarkably similar to actual human organs, thus making feasible the study of biological processes in a physiological and animal-free setup.

The Center activity consists in bio-assembling 3D functional organ-like structures from patient-derived tissues and/or from genetically engineered human Induced Progenitor Stem cells. The Center will generate dynamic immune-competent structures encompassing functional vasculature, by the combination of 3D Bioprinting and fluidics technologies, thus recapitulating the complex interaction of the immune system with the other cellular components.

Projects

  • Generation of patient-derived tumor organoids integrated with the stromal, vascular and immune-matched components
  • Generation of lung organoids from genetically engineered human induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (hiPSC)
  • Generation of complex 3D functional micro and millifluidic microenvironment for in vitro organ bio-assembling

Deliverables

  • Animal-free models for disease modeling and immunotherapy
  • Genetically engineered multifactorial organoids
  • Personalized collaborations for ad-hoc devices design
  • Production of functional organs for drug testing

Live imaging of the RBD-SPIKE (red) binding epithelial cells

Team

Nome / NameRuolo / RoleEmail
Stefano BiffoCoordinatorbiffo@ingm.org
Roberto RizziBioprinting and Biofabrication Unit -Headrizzi@ingm.org
Jens GeginatAffiliated member, Patient-derived organoidsgeginat@ingm.org
Maria KiratzisFellowkiratzis@ingm.org
Giacomo D’AndreaFellowdandrea@ingm.org
Sara RicciardiAffiliated member, iPSCricciardi@ingm.org
Paolo RitterAffiliated member, engineeringritter@ingm.org
Stefania OlivetoAffiliated member, millifluidicoliveto@ingm.org
Claudia BearziAffiliated member, iPSCbearzi@ingm.org
Fabio MaiullariAffiliated member, 3D Bioprintingmaiullari@ingm.org
Maila ChirivìAffiliated member, Biomaterials and dECMchirivì@ingm.org
Marika MilanAffiliated member, 3D Physiologymilan@ingm.org
Valeria BevilacquaAffiliated member, Patient-derived organoidsbevilacqua@ingm.org
Tanya FabbrisAffiliated member, Patient-derived organoidsfabbris@ingm.org
Martina MartinovicAffiliated member, Organoid Imagingmartinovic@ingm.org

Funding and History

The Organoid Center was originally grounded thanks to a Contribution from the Fondazione Romeo ed Enrica Invernizzi and the University of Milan, as HOMIC. Currently, the Center is hosted in INGM. Still funded by an original contribution from the Fondazione Romeo and Enrica Invernizzi, the Center has refined its mission after the Covid pandemy and now affiliates several independently-funded scientists with the common goal to bring organoid technology to the next frontier, encompassing multiple cell types, suitable for bio-medical research.

Equipment

Devoted cell culture facility and Biobank with the innovative printing platform (Cecilia 2.0) available at the Center, able to deposit the multi-bioinks (healthy and pathologic) with micrometric precision in a three-dimensional space. This approach can be used to generate specific human tissues of the individual. Also available RNAseq single cell analysis platforms including 10X and Icell8.

Publications

INGM RESEARCH IS SUPPORTED BY