Using organ donor tissues provided by the ADTB, Dr Laura Cook and her group at the Doherty Institute creates human organoid systems with immune function.

Grown in the lab, human organoids are small, three-dimensional tissue cultures derived from adult stem cells. Organoids mimic the structure and function of the original tissue, making them invaluable for medical research. However, despite advances in organoid technology, the lack of immune cells in traditional organoid models limits their research potential for immunologists.

The Cook group has spent the last three years developing a cutting-edge human gut organoid and immune cell co-culture system. This platform allows researchers to study immune cell responses to inflammation or infection in an all-human tissue environment.

This article was adapted from an original article by the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity.