On-site PhD conferral Panagiota Kakni

"Mind the gut: Advancing intestinal organoid technologies" 

Keywords: Intestinal organoids, 3D cell culture, intestinal epithelium, microwell platforms

Organoids are 3D, self-organizing mini tissues that mimic multiple aspects of tissue structure and function. The establishment of small intestinal organoid models in the early 2000s revolutionized the in vitro research of intestinal physiology and disease. Organoid technology can be employed for several applications, including studies related to fundamental biology, regenerative medicine and drug discovery. However, one cannot neglect the challenges in the organoid field that remain untackled. The main focus of the research outlined in this thesis was the development of 3D in vitro models that overcome some of the current limitations, aiming to expand the range of applications of intestinal organoids. Thus, we developed microwell-based organoid models, including also co-culture systems with immune cells and organoid models with reverse polarity in order to study barrier formation, nutrient and drug uptake and host-microbiome interactions.