A new research hub is being created to advance the development of tiny, engineered organs. 

Miniature, laboratory-grown human organs, known as ‘organoids’, have the potential to enhance personalised medical treatments. 

Organoids are grown in laboratories from a patient's cells, allowing researchers to study diseases and test potential therapies. 

This innovation enables highly personalised care, as treatments can be tailored to the individual needs of patients.

Curtin University researchers are set to make organoid research more effective and efficient through the establishment of the Western Australian Organoid Innovation Hub (WAOIH). 

This initiative has been made possible by more than $500,000 in funding from the WA Government’s Future Health Research and Innovation (FHRI) Fund – Enabling Scheme. 

The WAOIH will be housed at the Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute and will use advanced imaging technology and machine learning for rapid and accurate image analysis of organoids.

“Organoids can mimic real human organs better than traditional cell cultures, so they’re excellent models for studying human biology and disease,” says researcher Dr Ben Dwyer. 

“We currently use organoids in the context of liver cancer to better understand disease mechanisms and develop new treatments. They are also used for large-scale screening experiments to repurpose approved compounds for cancer treatment.

“Because they’re made from a patient’s own cells, organoids can also be used to determine which treatments are most likely to be effective or may result in side effects for that specific patient, paving the way for personalised medicine.”

The FHRI grant will support upgrades to equipment, enhancing the capabilities of the existing liver cancer organoid program. 

Dr Dwyer noted the growing demand for applying this technology to a broader range of diseases and cancers. 

“Being able to automate our imaging and liquid handling equipment will allow the WAOIH to work faster and conduct more experiments at once,” he said. 

“This will allow us to broaden our scope of research.”

The Hub will work with the National Drug Discovery Centre in Melbourne and the Human Organoid Innovation Hub in Calgary, Canada. 

These partnerships are expected to provide access to national screening programs and global expertise, enhancing the international impact of WAOIH’s research.