Patient Derived Organoids to Eradicate Animal Testing in Drug Development
Document Type
Poster
College
Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering
Start Date
25-3-2026 1:00 PM
End Date
25-3-2026 2:00 PM
Abstract
This project explores the use of patient-derived human brain organoids as a more predictive alternative to animal models for preclinical drug development. Many therapies fail during development because animal testing often does not accurately reflect human biology, particularly in the brain, where vascular structure, barrier function, and tissue complexity are difficult to replicate. To address this challenge, this work develops vascularized human brain organoids and pairs them with custom 3D-printed perfusion chambers designed to mimic how drugs are delivered through the human body. By enabling compounds to flow through organoid blood vessels rather than relying on passive diffusion alone, this platform provides a more physiologically relevant way to study drug transport, accumulation, and toxicity in human tissue. Initial results demonstrate that drug perfusion can be visually validated within the organoid vasculature, supporting the feasibility of this approach. Overall, this research advances a human-centered model for evaluating drug safety and efficacy, with the long-term goal of reducing reliance on animal testing and improving the likelihood that effective therapies reach patients.
Patient Derived Organoids to Eradicate Animal Testing in Drug Development
This project explores the use of patient-derived human brain organoids as a more predictive alternative to animal models for preclinical drug development. Many therapies fail during development because animal testing often does not accurately reflect human biology, particularly in the brain, where vascular structure, barrier function, and tissue complexity are difficult to replicate. To address this challenge, this work develops vascularized human brain organoids and pairs them with custom 3D-printed perfusion chambers designed to mimic how drugs are delivered through the human body. By enabling compounds to flow through organoid blood vessels rather than relying on passive diffusion alone, this platform provides a more physiologically relevant way to study drug transport, accumulation, and toxicity in human tissue. Initial results demonstrate that drug perfusion can be visually validated within the organoid vasculature, supporting the feasibility of this approach. Overall, this research advances a human-centered model for evaluating drug safety and efficacy, with the long-term goal of reducing reliance on animal testing and improving the likelihood that effective therapies reach patients.