Dr. Neeraj Dhar and his team at the University of Saskatchewan’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) are developing lab-grown organoids - 3D, lab-engineered donor tissues that mimic actual organs - to replace traditional animal testing. These organoids provide highly accurate, species-specific testing environments, addressing the limitations of animal models in predicting human outcomes.
Key Highlights #
- Organoids are used to recreate 3D organs from target species, offering more accurate and ethical testing.
- Dr. Dhar’s lab focuses on advanced immune organoids for tuberculosis (TB) research, integrating immune responses to test vaccines and antibiotics.
- Collaboration with Dr. Eliza Fong at the National University of Singapore to overcome tissue shortages and technical challenges.
- The FDA recently approved organoids for preclinical safety and toxicity trials, aiming to reduce animal testing.
- Organoids are also used in space exploration, replacing non-consenting animal subjects on missions like Artemis II.
- Organoids enable rapid, large-scale testing during pandemic outbreaks, accelerating vaccine development.
Statements #
When we do a lot of studies in the lab, we often use animal models. But because of the different physiology between animals and humans, a lot of therapeutics that we develop for humans often fail somewhere in the translation stage.
Dr. Neeraj Dhar
It’s really fascinating how you can use a few millimetres of tissue from different animals or volunteer donors and recreate 3D tissue which pretty much behaves like the native organ.
Dr. Neeraj Dhar
About the Organizations #
University of Saskatchewan’s Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) is a leading research organization focused on infectious diseases and vaccine development. National University of Singapore is a global research university known for its biomedical engineering advancements.
Learn More #
U of S developing lab-grown organoids that save humans, spare animals