Paolo is a 2nd-year PhD student in the lab of Dr. Michèle Studer, whose team is dedicated to the understanding of neurodevelopmental diseases. The team has conducted extensive work to identify key genes involved in brain-related orphan diseases, and Paolo’s current project aims to better characterize the role of these genes. To achieve this, he is developing 3D in vitro models of the brain and retina, known as organoids, using human-derived cells to gain a deeper understanding of the establishment and evolution of these pathological conditions. The next step will involve patient-derived cells to generate organoids, allowing the team to delve into precision medicine and uncover patient-specific mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities. Leveraging his expertise, he guided our club attendees through the numerous applications of brain and retinal organoids, presenting present and future applications, as well as challenges to be addressed for such techniques. Paolo even provided insights into the specific cell lines used, the best-identified protocols, considerations for reproducibility, and shared his troubleshooting experience so far.

Thanks to his intervention, we are looking forward to the development of these in vitro organs within the iBV community and encourage you to explore Paolo’s detailed presentation on the iBV common server.

(By Nicolas Roby)