Welcome to the website of the Organoid Expertise Center (OEZ) of the Medical School Hamburg (MSH) and the Medical School Berlin (MSB). The OEZ brings together the expertise of various research groups at MSH and MSB.
We use multiple organoid and 3D culture models and strive to reduce, refine and replace animal experiments according to the 3R principles.
The OEZ stands for the avoidance of animal testing through the development and use of largely xeno-free organoids.
The OEZ is an interdisciplinary, cross-institute and cross-university association of various preclinical (ITM and IMM) and clinical (Schwerin campus) working groups at MSH and MSB.
- AG Hajieva (ITM, MSH)
- AG Hendrix (ITM, MSH)
- AG Ketteler (MSB)
- AG Rath (IMM/Campus Schwerin, MSH)
- AG Schumacher (MSB)
- AG Stürken (IMM)
- AG Wittenmayer (ITM)
- AG Wozny (IMM)
Projects (selection)
AG Hajieva (ITM):
- 3D cultures of LUHMES cells and 3D cocultures of LUHMES cells with astrocytes for the investigation of molecular pathomechanisms of Parkinson's disease
- Cultivation of midbrain organoids for research into molecular pathomechanisms of Parkinson's disease
AG Hendrix (ITM):Testing animal-free hydrogels as an alternative growth environment for brain organoids
- Development of neurovascular organoids as complex 3D culture systems for drug testing
AG Ketteler (MSB):
- Development of multi-cellular spheroids in cancer research
- Testing of drug candidates in patient models for neurodegenerative diseases, e.g. induced pluripotent stem cells, neurons and brain organoids
AG Rath (IMM/Campus Schwerin):
- Differentiation of vascular organoids from human fluorescently labeled iPSCs to further elucidate the pathogenesis of cerebral cavernous malformations (CCM)
- Genome editing of the CCM1, CCM2 and CCM3 genes in iPSCs and functional analysis of endothelial cells derived from them in 3D cell culture models
AG Schumacher (MSB):
- Influence of interstitial fluid pressure on the distribution of chemotherapeutics in solid tumors.
AG Stürken (IMM):
- Establishment of animal-free alternative methods of breast cancer research using organoids
AG Wittenmayer (ITM):
- Analyses of neuronal differentiation as a function of the extracellular matrix in 2D cell cultures and brain organoids
- Functional characterization of iPSC-derived neurons in 2D and 3D cell culture models
- Investigations on the pathogenesis of schizophrenia in brain organoids
AG Wozny (IMM):
- Electrophysiological and anatomical studies on neuronal diversity in brain organoids
- Optogenetic analyses of neuronal circuitry in brain organoids
- Studies on resilience to Alzheimer's disease in combined organoid preparations
Science Communication and Networking
Journal Club of the OEZ:
Journal Club organised by the OEZ for all MSH staff involved in organoid research.
Organoids in the North
Bimonthly networking event organised by the OEZ for all organoid researchers in Hamburg and the surrounding area.
Contact: Prof Sven Hendrix
