Organoids Are Us 2025
Join us for a symposium featuring organoids, stem cells, cancer, inflammatory disorders and infectious disease.
The conference e-book including all abstracts is now ready for download.
Further information about this event including our invited speakers and conference programme are available in the tabs below. If you have any questions, please contact organoids-are-us@crukscotlandinstitute.ac.uk
|Event Overview|
Event Overview
Organoids Are Us symposia incorporate both basic and clinical/diagnostic research and are a significant national and international forum for exchange of new data and a “progress report” on the application of organoid-based technologies.
The 2025 symposium will be held at the CRUK Scotland Institute, Glasgow, United Kingdom on Tuesday September 23rd to Friday September 26th, 2025. This is the seventh Organoids Are Us symposium and the first one held in Europe and the UK! Plenary, Keynote and Symposium sessions, including rapid fire short talks and poster sessions, make up the programme which includes many well-known international speakers.
Registration starts from £250 for students and our Early Bird registration rate of £350 has been extended and is now available until the 18th of July 2025. Attendees from all career levels, from international and national universities, institutes, and hospitals are invited to register.
We look forward to seeing you at the Organoids Are Us 2025 symposium and to welcoming you to Scotland.
Conveners:
Professor Owen Sansom, Director of CRUK Scotland Institute, Glasgow UK
Professor Elizabeth Vincan, University of Melbourne, Melbourne Australia
Professor Ram DasGupta, CRUK Scotland Institute, Glasgow UK
Organiser:
Dr Linus Reichenbach, CRUK Scotland Institute, Glasgow UK
|Speakers|
Speakers
Plenary speaker
Prof Hans Clevers - Utrecht University, Netherlands
Keynote speakers
Prof Arial Zeng - Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
Prof Helmuth Gehart, Institute of Molecular Health Science, Zurich, Switzerland
Tony Burgess Orators
Dr Maree Faux - Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI), Parkville, VIC, Australia
Dr Vivian Li, The Francis Crick Institute, UK
Invited Speakers
Prof Nick Barker, A*STAR IMCB, Singapore
Dr Mathew Garnett, Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK
Dr Phil Jones, Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK
Prof Suet-Yi Leung, University of Hong Kong
Dr Alice Soragni, UCLA, United States
Prof Maximilian Reichert, TU Munich, Germany
Dr Vincenzo Corbo, University of Verona, Italy
Dr Anne Rios, Princess Maxima Centre, Netherlands
Dr Somponnat Sampattavanich, Mahidol University, Thailand
Dr Michele Zagnoni, University of Strathclyde, UK
Dr Chiara Braconi, University of Glasgow, UK
Prof Fiona Oakley, University of Newcastle, UK
Prof Tom Bird, University of Edinburgh, UK
|Programme|
Scientific Programme
The scientific programme takes place from Tuesday Sept 23rd 4 pm until Thursday Sept 25th. The current scientific programme can be found below.
Full details including abstracts for all talks can be found in our conference e-book.
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Tuesday Sept 23rd |
Registration opens 4 pm |
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5.15 – 7:00 pm |
Opening Session Chair: Elizabeth Vincan/Owen Sansom Sponsored by: |
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5.15 - 5.30 pm |
Welcome – Open meeting |
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5.30 - 6.30 pm |
Plenary Talk: Hans Clevers (Utrecht University, Netherlands) Culturing Human Epithelial Organoids in 3D and 2D |
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6.30 – 6.45 pm |
Platinum Sponsor Talks – Amir Keric, OLS OMNI Life Science From Growth to Differentiation: Scalable Solutions for Modern Stem Cell Research |
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6.45 – 7.00 pm |
Platinum Sponsor Talks – Salvatore Simmini, STEMCELL Technologies Modelling the Gut In Vitro: Enhancing Complexity in Organoid-Derived Models |
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7.00 – 9.30 pm |
Mixer and Posters |
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Wednesday Sept 24th |
Registration opens 8.00 am |
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9.00 – 10.30 am |
Session 1 – Stem cells, Regeneration, and Cancer 1 Chair: Ram DasGupta Sponsored by:
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9.00 – 9.30 am 30 min |
Nick Barker (A*STAR Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Singapore) Deciphering Stem Cell Roles in GI Tract Homeostasis & Cancer |
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9.30 – 9.45 am 15 min |
Short Talk #1 Amlan Barai (Aix-Marseille University, France) A multicellular actin star network underpins epithelial organization and connectivity |
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9.45-10.30 am 45 min |
Tony Burgess Orator I Vivian Li (Francis Crick Institute, UK) Intestinal engineering and colorectal cancer targeting |
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10.30– 11.00 am |
Morning tea – 30 min/posters/trade area |
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11.00 – 1.00 pm |
Session 2 – Stem cells, Regeneration, and Cancer 2 Chair: Nick Barker Sponsored by:
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11.00 – 11.30 am 30 min |
Phil Jones (Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK) Epithelioids are us |
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11.30 – 12.00 pm 30 min |
Suet Yi Leung (University of Hong Kong) Organoid models of gastrointestinal cancer evolution |
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12.00 – 12.15 pm 15 min |
Short Talk #2 Eleanor Earp (University of Edinburgh, UK) A novel embryonic stem cell derived organoid to investigate neighbour effects in the skin |
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12.15-1.00 pm 45 min |
Keynote I Helmuth Gehart (ETH Zurich, Switzerland) Modelling tumor cell heterogeneity and plasticity in organoids |
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1.00 – 2.00 pm |
Lunch – 60 min/posters/trade area |
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2.00 – 3.30 pm |
Session 3 – Organoid Biobanks for Cancer Research Chair: Elizabeth Vincan Sponsored by: |
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2.00 – 2.30 pm 30 min |
Mathew Garnett (Wellcome Sanger Institute, UK) A Tumour Organoid Biobank for Mapping Cancer Cell Vulnerabilities |
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2.30 – 3.00 pm 30 min |
Somponnat Sampattavanich (Mahidol University, Thailand) Tumoroids from the Tropics: Building Thailand’s Living Biobank for Precision Oncology |
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3.00 – 3.30 pm 30 min |
Alice Soragni (UCLA, USA) Leverage patient-derived tumor organoids for precision medicine |
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3.30 – 4.00 pm |
Afternoon tea – 30 min/posters/trade area |
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4.00 – 6.00 pm |
Session 4 –Organoid for Precision Medicine and Screening Chair: Somponnat Sampattavanich Sponsored by:
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4.00 – 4.30 pm 30 min |
Michele Zagnoni (University of Strathclyde, UK) Accelerating organoid screening with lab-on-a-chip technology |
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4.30 – 4.45 pm 15 min |
Short Talk #3 Sevde Altuntas (Health Sciences University, Turkey) Establishing patient-derived pancreatic organoids with customised microenvironments for functional drug screening studies |
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4.45 – 5.15 pm 30 min |
Tom Bird (University of Edinburgh, UK) Organoid based screens for precision medicine in liver cancer |
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5.15 – 6.00 pm 45 min |
Tony Burgess Orator II Maree Faux (Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Australia) Exploring avenues to target cancer |
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Thursday Sept 25th |
Opens 8.00 am |
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9.00 – 10.45 am |
Session 5 – Organoid Models in Cancer Research I Chair: Maree Faux Sponsored by: |
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9.00 – 9.30 am 30 min |
Vincenzo Corbo (University of Verona, Italy) Modelling ecDNA dynamics in pancreatic cancer using organoids |
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9.30 – 9.45 am 15 min |
Short Talk #4 Ben Dwyer (Curtin University, Australia) A patient-derived organoid drug development platform for primary liver cancer incorporating precision bioprinting |
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9.45-10.15 am 30 min |
Maximilian Reichert (TU Munich, Germany) Dynamic Modelling of Tumour Cell States and Lineage Plasticity in Pancreatic Cancer |
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10.15-10.45 am 30 min |
Chiara Braconi (University of Glasgow, UK) Clinical Applicability of Biliary Cancer Patients Derived Organoids: potentials and hurdles |
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10.45– 11.15 am |
Morning tea – 30 min/posters/trade area |
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11.15 – 1.00 pm |
Session 6 – Organoid Models of Human Disease Chair: Arial Zeng Sponsored by:
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11.15-11.45 am 30 min |
Fiona Oakley (University of Newcastle, UK Title - TBA |
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11.45-12.00 pm 15 min |
Short Talk #5 Asma Ahmed (CRUK Scotland Institute, Scotland) Harnessing immunogenic cell death to improve prostate cancer therapy |
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12.00-12.30 pm 30 min |
Anne Rios (Princess Maxima Centre, Netherlands Organoid cancer immunity models in motion |
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12.30- 12.45 pm 15 min |
Short Talk #6 Erwan Sallard (University of Oxford, UK) Selection of Adenovirus vectors optimised for mucosal vaccine delivery using novel tonsil lymphoid and epithelial organoids |
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12.45 – 1.00 pm 15 min |
Short Talk #7 Leonardo D’Aiuto (University of Pittsburgh, USA) Dynamics of paraspeckles components in HSV-1 infected human neuronal cells |
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1.00 – 2.00 pm |
Lunch - 60 min/posters/trade area |
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2.00-4.00 pm |
Session 7 – Organoid Models in Cancer Research II Chair: Vivian Li Sponsored by: |
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2.00-2.15 pm 15 min |
Platinum Sponsor Talk - Thore Boettke, Bruker Spatial Biology Single-Cell Spatial Analysis of Organoids: Integrating Transcriptomic and Proteomic |
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2.15-2.20 pm 5 min |
Sponsor Talk - Darren Heywood, Promega Advancing Cell Proliferation Analysis: A Smarter Approach |
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2.20-2.35 pm 15 min |
Short Talk #8 Stephen Adonai Leon-Icaza (University of Cambridge, UK) Organoids models for assessment of novel therapeutics against BK polyomavirus |
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2.35 – 2.50 pm 15 min |
Short Talk #9 Diana Drago-Garcia (Francis Crick Institute, UK) SOX2-driven cellular plasticity as a mechanism of drug resistance in colorectal cancer |
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2.50 – 3.20 pm 30 min |
Owen Sansom (CRUK Scotland Institute, Scotland) Using complex mouse and organoid models of colorectal cancer to understand the adaptive response to therapy in CRC |
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3.20 - 4.05 pm 45 min |
Keynote II Arial Zeng (Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, China) Harnessing Adult Stem Cells for Pancreatic Islet Regeneration |
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4.05 – 4.15 pm |
Poster Prize Announcement/Next meeting/Thank you/Meeting Close |
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7.00 – 11.00 pm |
Conference Gala Dinner and Ceilidh (by Ticket only, see Social Events) |
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Friday Sept 26th |
No Scientific Programme, Travel Day |
|Register|
Register
Registration for the Organoids Are Us 2025 conference has now closed.
Registration fees
Registration will include all event catering except the Conference Dinner which needs to be booked separately. All rates are inclusive of VAT.
Student registration rates are reserved exclusively for Master's and doctoral degree candidates (or below). Proof of student status will be required at the conference.
Professionals at other levels, including postdocs, are required to register at the full registration rate.
Category |
Early Bird Rate (Extended until 18th July 2025) |
Standard Rate |
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| Standard | £350.00 | £400.00 |
| Student (MSc & PhD) | - | £250.00 |
| Conference Gala Dinner and Ceilidh | - | £50.00 |
Key Dates
Early bird registration ends: Extended until 18th July 2025
Abstract submission deadline: 31st July 2025
Registration closes: 31st August 2025
Conference: 23-26th Sept 2025
Abstracts will be assessed by the organising committee and presenters will be notified approximately one month prior to the conference if they have been selected for a short talk.
Scientific & Social events
 Tuesday 23rd September |
Opening Session starting at 17:30 Accompanying persons/ family members may not attend this event. |
| Thursday, 25th September |
Conference Gala Dinner and Ceilidh Accompanying persons / family members are welcome to attend the dinner and ceilidh but must purchase a ticket (£50 per person) |
Cancellation policy
Notification of cancellations must be made by email to organoids-are-us@crukscotlandinstitute.ac.uk no later than 31st July 2025 to receive a full refund. No refunds can be issued after this date.
Photography
Photography will take place at this event for CRUK SI promotional and archival purposes. This may include newsletters, publications, marketing emails, webpages, and social media.
If you do not wish to be featured, please email: organoids-are-us@crukscotlandinstitute.ac.uk or speak to a member of staff at reception.
Code of Conduct
Click here to view CRUK Scotland Institute's code of conduct.
|Sponsorship and Trade Exhibition|
Sponsorship
There are no further sponsorship packages available for this conference.
|Sponsors and Support|
Sponsors
Entities supporting the event:
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Platinum Sponsors
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Gold Sponsors
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Silver Sponsors
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Bronze Sponsor
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We would also like to thank Glasgow Convention Bureau and STEMCELL Science News for their support.
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|Abstracts and Short Talks|
Conference Abstract Booklet
ABSTRACT
- Download the abstract template here
- Send your abstract for poster presentation session to the following email address: organoids-are-us@crukscotlandinstitute.ac.uk
- Abstract submission deadline 31st July 2025
- Registration deadline 31st August 2025
AT LEAST FIVE POSTER ABSTRACTS WILL BE CHOSEN FOR INCLUSION IN ORAL PRESENTATION SESSIONS, EACH ALLOCATED A RAPID-FIRE TALK DURATION OF 15 MINUTES
|Travel & Accommodation|
Conference Venue
Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute (formerly the Beatson Institute)
Garscube Estate
Switchback Road
Bearsden
Glasgow G61 1BD 
Email
Travel
By air
Glasgow International Airport is more convenient than Prestwick. It will take approximately 20 minutes to the Institute by taxi. Further information can be found directly via Glasgow Airport and Edinburgh Airport websites.
By bus or train
Download the West Coast Motors app to access all bus timetables.
Take the train to Westerton station if travelling from Glasgow Queen Street or Glasgow Central station. It is 10-15 minutes on foot to/from the Institute.
By car
Car parking is available at the Institute and subject to availability at a flat rate charge of £9 per day or £4.50 per half day. Booking is required in advance of attending. Email organoids-are-us@crukscotlandinstitute.ac.uk for more information.
Taxi contacts
1st Taxis: +44 (0)141 956 3333
Glasgow Taxis: +44 (0)141 429 7070
Full information on how to find us can be found on our website.
Delegate Accommodation
CRUK Scotland Institute is not liable for delegate accommodation costs. Bookings must be paid directly with the hotel/accommodation services staff.
Hotel recommendations in the area include:
Ambassador Hotel
Glasgow Grosvenor HotelHotel du Vin
Leonardo Inn Glasgow West EndPremier Inn Bearsden
Struggling to decide on your travel and accommodation plans? Find some inspiration from the Glasgow Convention Bureau and Visit Scotland.
