TRR332 member Animal welfare award winner

The TRR 332 PostDoc Nina Hagemann, has been awarded 3rd place in animal welfare by the Essen ZTL (Zentrales Tierlabor Essen). During the symposium held in March, Prof. Dirk Hermann received the award for the pioneering project on the establishment of human 3D organoids as an in vitro model for stroke research, with the objective of replacing animal experiments. Read more about the project below.

Congratulations on this remarkable achievement! 

Establishment of human 3D organoids as an in vitro model to replace animal experiments in stroke research

Ischemic stroke is one of the main causes of disability and death. Despite established therapies, there is a need for new treatment approaches, as many therapies that have shown promising results in animal studies are unable to confirm their efficacy in the clinic. In order to reduce the number of animal experiments in stroke research, this project aims to develop an organoid model from human cells to investigate the mechanisms of ischemia at the blood-brain barrier. In collaboration with the research groups led by Prof. Dr. Matthias Epple and Prof. Dr. Bernd Giebel, complex three-dimensional cell culture models are being developed from six different cell types, including astrocytes, neurons and endothelial cells. In this model, the impact of hypoxia and reoxygenation on the blood-brain barrier and surrounding brain tissue will be investigated under standardized conditions. In addition, extracellular vesicles will be validated as a promising therapeutic option for strokes. This human organoid model makes it possible to partially avoid animal experiments in the development of new therapies and thus contribute to the reduction and replacement of animal experiments.