The use of organoids in translational medical research and personalized medicine is an option that is gaining popularity among researchers at Vall d'Hebron. These three-dimensional models are capable of recapitulating, in the laboratory, the structure and functions of tissues. This was made clear on January 24 at the Conference 'Organoids at the service of research: applications, advances and challenges' organized by the Biobank of the Vall d'Hebron University Hospital and held in the events hall of the General Hospital, with the support of the Biomodels and Biobanks Platform of the Carlos III Institute of Health (ISCIII).

The session began with a presentation by Dr. Isabel Novoa, director of the Vall d'Hebron Biobank, followed by the words of welcome from Dr. Begoña Benito, director of the Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR), who said that "this event shows that at Vall d'Hebron we are committed to the use of organoids to advance translational research”.

Then, Shirley Guzman, Biomodels and Biobanks manager at VHIR, made a brief introduction about what organoids are and its applications. Then, the support that the Biomodels and Biobanks Platform provides to its members was highlighted with the presentation of Dr. Nuria Montserrat, Coordinator of the Platform and researcher at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), who described how the Platform is working on standardized working procedures that lead to obtaining organoids with quality attributes that ensure their correct differentiation. She also highlighted the Platform's one-stop service that allows researchers to search for organoids and services offered by members of the Platform. She also stated that in the coming years it will be strategic to obtain data associated with biomodels.

In this conference, researchers from the Vall d'Hebron Campus explained how organoids represent an alternative to the use of traditional 2D cultures and are able to reduce the use of experimental animals. Thus, these models can improve translational research, providing medicine with a personalized approach.

First, Paula Barranco Bartolomé, researcher of the Genetics Medicine group at VHIR, explained the work with 3D models that is being carried out in her group to improve the therapy of people with cystic fibrosis at the Pediatric Pneumology and Cystic Fibrosis Unit at the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, with the funding of Arcadi Foundation. Then, Beatriz Villafranca Magdalena, researcher of the Biomedical Research in Gynecology group at VHIR, showed the potential that organoids have for precision medicine studies in the field of gynecological diseases.

Then, Dr. Anna Duarri Piqué, principal investigator of the Ophthalmology research group at VHIR, highlighted the potential of organoids as a model for research in ocular diseases and, finally, Jordi Martínez Quintanilla, researcher of the Stem Cells and Cancer group at Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO), reported his experience in the use of organoids for the evaluation of new drugs for the treatment of colorectal cancer and rare neoplastic diseases.
Finally, in a round table, all the participants answered questions from the audience and agreed that organoids are key to the progress of biomedical research.