Intestinal Organoid Biobank
The Intestinal Organoid Biobank (IOBB) at BPRC contains organoids (mini-guts) that are grown in the lab from different non-human primate species and from multiple regions of the intestine. This provides a unique foundation for studying diseases and developing new treatments.
The goal of the IOBB is to increase our understanding of fundamental disease biology with the aim of developing preventative medicine and/or treatment for patients.
By combining organoid technology with knowledge from in vivo research, scientists gain a more complete understanding of what happens inside the body. In this way, we bridge the gap between laboratory research and processes in a living organism.
Understanding how diseases develop
With the IOBB, researchers can better understand how intestinal diseases arise and progress, how bacteria, viruses and parasites behave in the gut, and what role the microbiome plays. The biobank also enables targeted testing of new treatments.
The biobank contains organoids derived from different parts of the intestine, including the small and large intestine (duodenum, jejunum, ileum and colon). In many cases, multiple regions from a single animal are used, allowing direct comparison of processes along the intestinal tract.
The IOBB includes material from two non-human primate species: the cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis), also known as the long-tailed macaque, and the rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta). For each sample, background information is available, such as species, age and sex.
What are organoids?
Organoids are three-dimensional cell models that retain key characteristics of the original tissue. As a result, they provide a more realistic representation than traditional cell cultures and are highly suitable for studying infections, intestinal function and responses to treatment.
What makes this biobank unique?
The strength of the IOBB lies in the fact that researchers can directly compare what happens in a living organism with what they observe in the lab, within the same species. This makes research more reliable and more applicable to real-world practice. This unique combination of in vitro and in vivo makes the biobank particularly valuable and demonstrates that BPRC supports the full research process.
In many studies, human cell models are compared with animal research, even though they differ biologically. The IOBB brings these approaches together within a single system, making results easier to interpret and better translatable to humans.
In addition, the use of organoids helps reduce the need for animal studies. Many research questions can first be explored in the lab before any follow-up studies are required.
What is the IOBB used for?
The IOBB is used for various types of research:
- Disease research Understanding molecular mechanisms behind intestinal infections and non-communicable diseases
- Microbiome research Interactions between gut bacteria and the host, including protection, barrier function and recovery
- Therapeutic development Testing new drugs for effectiveness, safety and mechanism of action
- Advanced models Developing more complex systems, for example by adding immune cells or combining organoids to study interactions between organs, such as the gut–brain axis
Future development
The current focus is on intestinal organoids, where extensive expertise is already available. At the same time, the platform is being expanded to include other organs and more advanced model systems.
In the future, this may lead to integrated systems in which multiple organs interact, such as organ-on-chip models. The IOBB will also become part of a broader biobank network within BPRC, linking organoids to other biological materials and background data.
Platform for knowledge and collaboration
The IOBB is not only a collection of organoids, but also includes the knowledge and expertise required to work with them, for example in virology, cell biology and study design.
The platform is intended for researchers who want not only to access the material, but also to collaborate on the design and execution of their research.
Collaboration
| Interested in collaboration or more information about the IOBB? Please contact: [email protected] |