Micro-Organospheres: modeling tissue diversity to study how cells interact
Official title: Probing Tissue Heterogeneity and Stem Cell Niche with Micro-Organospheres
Funded at Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation · NIH-11387903 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research team will use tiny lab-made tissue pieces from human samples to study how different cell types communicate and respond to microbes in a high-throughput way.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Woodland Hills, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | April 1, 2017 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $681,990 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM122465-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11387903 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates would be adults whose tissues can be studied in vitro (e.g., donated primary tissue samples) and any individuals contributing biological samples for research.
✕Less likely to help
People without access to tissue samples or those not contributing to research may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Researchers have created Micro-Organospheres to mimic complex tissue environments using small amounts of human tissue. In this project, they will run large-scale tests to see how diverse cells in tissues respond to different microbes, develop a method to map how cell interactions shape responses, and combine imaging with live tracking to understand how cell fate decisions unfold in microenvironments. The work aims to provide a scalable, human-relevant platform for studying tissue behavior and microbe interactions beyond traditional cell cultures. This could lead to insights about tissue health, disease processes, and how the microenvironment guides cell decisions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from better models for studying disease mechanisms and potential therapies that target tissue microenvironments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work with organoid- or micro-tissue models has shown promise in recapitulating tissue behavior, with growing evidence that such platforms can reveal complex cell interactions.
Where this research is happening
-
Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation
Woodland Hills, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shen, Xiling — Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation
- Study coordinator: Shen, Xiling
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.