Ex vivo model
The Organ Slice Lab is led by Prof. dr. Peter Olinga and explores precision-cut tissue slices (PCTS) as a highly relevant and translational model to elucidate the pathogenesis, treatment, and biomarker research of organ fibrosis.
We work from the postulate that current therapeutic gaps in fibrosis—the excessive production of extracellular matrix—stem from a failure to account for the complex in vivo architecture and cellular composition of human organs. To address this, we utilize viable tissue explants derived from healthy and diseased human liver, kidney, and intestine to investigate disease pathogenesis, evaluate potential treatments, and conduct biomarker research. This methodology enables precise reconstruction of disease mechanisms while contributing to the reduction of laboratory animal use in pharmaceutical research.
Core pillars:
- Mechanistic Pathogenesis: Decoding the fundamental pathways that drive the progression of organ-specific fibrosis.
- Translational Treatment: Evaluating the efficacy of novel compounds using viable human tissue to improve clinical success rates.
- Advanced Biomarker Research: Identifying and validating molecular markers of tissue damage and therapeutic recovery.
- Ethical Innovation: Prioritizing human-based models to minimize and replace the reliance on animal testing.