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How the developing human brain takes instructions: Two UCLA studies reveal what guides its most important stem cells

Two UCLA studies published in Cell and Science uncover the role of metabolism and physical signals in guiding radial glia to produce specific cell types in the developing human cortex. Metabolic research found that the pentose phosphate pathway influences cell fate, while thalamic projections make direct physical contact with radial gl...

Mini-tumors reveal new drug combinations for liver cancer

Researchers at the University of Basel have developed new drug combinations for liver cancer using mini-tumors, which retained key characteristics of the original tumor. The study identified several potent anti-tumor effects and combination therapies that could be effective despite significant biological differences between tumors.

SourceUniversity of Basel·JournalCell Reports·DateSep 2, 2026

Brain and organoid side-by-side

The Hippenmeyer group has developed a stable mouse stem cell line and created a robust and reproducible mouse cortical organoid protocol. By comparing developmental stages of the mouse brain with those of the organoids using single-cell sequencing, they found similar cell populations and molecular programs.

SourceInstitute of Science and Technology Austria·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 12, 2026

Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and Northwell Health lead international cohort of researchers to develop more than 150 next-generation cancer treatment models

The Human Cancer Model Initiative released a compendium of more than 150 organoid models of 25 types of cancer, which are now available to scientists worldwide. These patient-derived organoids provide state-of-the-art research tools for accelerating discovery and developing personalized treatment strategies.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalNature·DateAug 5, 2026

Vascular organoid patches offer new hope for coronary artery disease treatment

Researchers have developed vascular organoid patches that can regenerate microvessels in the heart, leading to improved heart function and reduced progression of coronary artery disease. The patches were shown to survive for several weeks and stimulate new microvessel formation, providing a potential treatment for ischemic heart disease.

SourceInternational Society for Stem Cell Research·JournalStem Cell Reports·DateJul 2, 2026

Mini monitor measures artificial heartbeat

A new device inspired by fish's lateral line senses the pulse of lab-grown heart tissue, enabling real-time monitoring of hundreds of tests. This breakthrough could revolutionize drug screening and personalized medicine with more accurate human tissue simulations.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 28, 2026

New AI-powered platform helps researchers find promising cancer therapies faster

Researchers developed an AI-powered platform to track drug responses across thousands of patient-derived organoids, enabling real-time monitoring and analysis of tumor heterogeneity. The platform successfully measured how tumor organoids responded to drug treatment, providing a detailed view of treatment responses at the level of indiv...

Ebola virus hides in the central nervous system, according to new research led by microbiologists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Researchers found that Ebola virus can persist in cerebral organoids for up to 120 days, infecting various cell types, including neurons and astrocytes. The virus can trigger local inflammation and lead to disease relapses in survivors, highlighting the need for improved treatments.

SourceThe Mount Sinai Hospital / Mount Sinai School of Medicine·JournalNature Microbiology·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 17, 2026

Developing clinical-grade intestinal organoids for regenerative medicine applications

Researchers at Institute of Science Tokyo have developed a novel culture system to produce stable, scalable, and low-cost clinical-grade intestinal organoids from patient biopsy samples. The innovative approach uses clinical-grade collagen and synthetic peptides to enhance growth and improve scalability.

SourceInstitute of Science Tokyo·JournalStem Cell Research & Therapy·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 16, 2026

Decoding Inflammatory Bowel Disease – on a chip

A new study replicated patient- and sex-specific hallmarks of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in a human organ chip, identifying stromal fibroblasts as key drivers of inflammation, fibrosis, and enhanced cancer risk. The model also recapitulated the impact of pregnancy hormones on IBD severity in female patients.

SourceWyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard·JournalNature Biomedical Engineering·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 21, 2026

Chinese Medical Journal article review explores organoid models in investigational new drug regulation and development

Researchers review organoid-related regulations and progress in IND approval, highlighting the prospects and limitations of organoid models. Organoids are poised to reshape drug research and development with their high clinical relevance, shorter experimental cycles, and lower costs.

SourceChinese Medical Journals Publishing House Co., Ltd.·JournalChinese Medical Journal·TypeLiterature review·DateMay 8, 2026

The boy on the balcony who never came outside

Dr. Dilek Colak's journey began with a childhood observation of a boy with mental illness, which inspired her to pursue a career in neuroscience. Her current work focuses on understanding autism and schizophrenia through the study of human brain organoids.

SourceGenomic Press·JournalGenomic Psychiatry·TypeNews article·DateMay 5, 2026

Lab-grown human skin advances our understanding of the critical role of skin blood vessels in inflammation, repair, regeneration, and aging

Researchers have created lab-grown human skin organoids that can form complex microvascular networks similar to those in native human skin. These self-organizing structures function similarly to native skin, responding to inflammatory stimuli and re-growing after injury.

SourceElsevier·JournalAmerican Journal Of Pathology·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 28, 2026

Natural component from licorice alleviates inflammatory bowel disease in stem cell-based model and in animals

A new study uses a human stem cell-derived model to identify potential therapies for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), highlighting glycyrrhizin as a promising candidate. Glycyrrhizin significantly prevents intestinal cell death in both stem cell models and mice with IBD, reducing inflammation and cell death.

SourceInternational Society for Stem Cell Research·JournalStem Cell Reports·DateApr 16, 2026

Giving a voice to vocal fold regeneration

A team of researchers from Kyoto University has identified multiple types of stromal and secretory cells in the larynx, revealing new insights into vocal fold regeneration. The study's findings provide potential stem cells for treating vocal cord dysfunction and other voice disorders.

SourceKyoto University·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 15, 2026

3D tumor organoids give brain tumor researchers new scientific opportunities

Researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital developed patient-derived tumor organoids that accurately reflect the biologic underpinnings of embryonal brain tumors. The models enable faster functional assays and preclinical drug testing without relying on newly obtained tumor samples, advancing the study of pediatric brain tumors.

SourceSt. Jude Children's Research Hospital·JournalScience Advances·DateApr 15, 2026

How did humans develop sharp vision? Lab-grown retinas show likely answer

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University used lab-grown retinal tissue to discover the cellular mechanisms that shape the foveola, a critical part of the eye responsible for sharp vision. The findings suggest that blue cones convert into red and green cones during early development, rather than migrating to other parts of the retina.

SourceJohns Hopkins University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 13, 2026

Making human pancreatic acinar cells

Dresden researchers have developed a system to test multiple compounds on human pancreatic organoids, identifying 54 compounds that affect pancreas development. These compounds inhibit the GSK3A/B protein and drive progenitor cells to differentiate into functional acinar cells. The ability to generate acinar organoids is valuable for s...

SourceMax Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG)·JournalCell Stem Cell·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 21, 2026

Korea University study mimics heart mechanics in organoids using three-dimensional magnetic torque

A Korea University study successfully mimics heart mechanics in organoids using three-dimensional magnetic torque, enhancing cardiac differentiation, maturation, and vascularization. This breakthrough could improve drug safety testing by providing more accurate human-relevant models for cardiotoxicity screening.

SourceKorea University College of Medicine·JournalActa Biomaterialia·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 13, 2026

Wyss Institute-led collaboration awarded by ARPA-H PRINT program to engineer off-the-shelf, universal, transplant-ready graft for liver failure

A multidisciplinary team of world-leading experts is developing an off-the-shelf engineered product that could address liver failure in millions of patients. The ImPLANT project aims to create synthetic biology-based gene circuits in human induced pluripotent stem cells to drive cell differentiation into all required liver cell types.

The secret route of prostate infections

Researchers developed a lab-grown model of the prostate gland to study bacterial infections. They found that E. coli targets specific cells and uses a 'lock and key' principle to invade. A sugar molecule called D-mannose blocks this interaction, offering a potential new strategy to prevent and treat prostate infections.

SourceUniversity of Würzburg·JournalNature Microbiology·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 12, 2026