2024 3D Cell Culture Summit
South San Francisco, CA

CEO and Co-founder, Cellentia Inc.

Circulating Tumor Cells-derived Organoids from Patients with Solid Tumors for Oncology Drug Development and Clinical Monitoring

This platform enables the generation of cancer organoids for various solid tumors from blood or frozen PBMC, allowing oncology drug screening and resistance monitoring in patients. Corning's 3D culture plates have successfully maintained these organoids.

Senior Field Application Scientist, NewCells Biotech

Leveraging Physiologically Relevant 3D in vitro Models to Accelerate Clinical Translation

We will present a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in biomedical research, focusing on the development and validation of in vitro models for retina, lung, and kidney. Within the drug discovery continuum, it is vital to define therapeutic safety and efficacy, and recent focus suggests a desire of the industry to pursue efforts prior to animal testing. We will discuss utility of physiologically relevant in vitro 3D models in providing predictive data to facilitate the transition to first-in-human (FIH) trials. Furthermore, disease modeling using 3D systems enhances our understanding of pathological conditions and potential therapeutic interventions.

Distinguished Professor, Kansas State University | Adjunct Professor at Wake Forest Institute of Regenerative Medicine

Advanced Synthetic Peptide Hydrogel for Physiological Relevant 3D Cell Cultures

Many mammalian cells, including stem cells and cancer cells, rely on scaffolding for 3D cell cultures. Selecting appropriate hydrogels to create a physiologically relevant microenvironment in these cultures has long been a grand challenge. This presentation addresses the crucial topic of hydrogel design and selection criteria and their impact on unlocking the potential of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Delve into the complexities of maintaining and expanding human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), with a special emphasis on case studies elucidating the differentiation of hepatocytes from hiPSCs that are comparable to primary human hepatocytes. Discover advanced techniques for generating in vitro tumor models that faithfully mimic the physiological conditions of in vivo mouse model.

Field Application Scientist, Molecular Devices Drug Discovery

High Content Screening Strategies for Kinetic 3D T cell Spheroid Killing and Brain Organoid and Assembloid Calcium Imaging Assays

Overview of advancements in high content screening of live 3D samples with strategies to consider for these challenging assays. Imaging hardware components that improve screening 3D samples. ImageXpress autofocus and microscope settings for timelapse acquisition of spheroids in Corning® Elplasia® plates and 100 fps organoids in U-bottom plates. Assay design considerations for fluorescent reagents, proteins, or unlabeled samples. 3D image analysis strategies and phenotypic classification with IN Carta image analysis software. 

Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington, and Chief Science Officer for Plurexa

Modelling Polycystic Kidney Disease and Ciliopathies with Human Kidney Organoids

We have developed a simple, commercially available method to differentiate human pluripotent stem cells in Corning® Matrigel® matrix sandwich culture into organoids that resemble kidney tissues. These organoids form via a developmental pathway that induces the nephron progenitor cell, which gives rise to podocytes, parietal cells, proximal tubules, and distal tubules along a proximal-to-distal axis. When transferred into suspension culture on Corning ultra-low attachment (ULA) plates, mutations associated with polycystic kidney disease or cilia knockout cause organoid tubules to swell thousands of times in size, producing large, fluid-filled cysts of centimeter diameters. Remarkably, the cysts form inside-out relative to cysts in vivo, via glucose and water absorption. These disease models are currently being used to test innovative therapeutics. Organoids with live fluorescence reporters, high throughput formats, and microfluidic kidney-on-a-chip devices provide next-generation platforms for phenotypic screening and illumination of intracellular mechanisms at the tissue scale.

President and CEO, BennuBio, Inc.

Simplified and High-Throughput Analysis of Intact 3D Models Using Large-Particle Imaging Cytometry

Three-dimensional (3D) models are essential tools in translational and clinical research, allowing for the exploration of complex biological processes in a physiologically relevant context and advancing the development of multiple therapeutic modalities. However, many current analysis methods are not truly high-throughput, often restricting organoid and spheroid cultures to traditional 96- or 384-well plates with only one particle per well. This limitation can result in the analysis of just a few 3D particles per treatment, potentially compromising data reliability due to the biological variability among individual particles. Such limitations can undermine statistical robustness and hinder the detection of subtle differences or trends.

Growing 3D models in bulk offers advantages such as scalability and adaptability to bioreactors, making them optimal for various applications. However, analyzing high numbers of 3D particles in either suspension or static cultures is challenging, often requiring tedious workflows or dissociating particles into single cells for flow cytometry.

To address these challenges, we utilized the Velocyt imaging large particle cytometer by BennuBio to analyze intact 3D models from both suspension and static cultures. The Velocyt employs parallel-stream acoustic flow technology combined with camera-based optics, merging the imaging capabilities of microscopy with the speed and ease of flow cytometry. In our first case study, we conducted a longitudinal experiment to measure size distribution, shape, and viability of intact 3D cultures grown in Corning® spinner flasks using different media formulations. In the second case study, we used Corning Elplasia® microwell technology to perform immune cell killing assays, measuring both immune cell penetrance and 3D viability. These studies highlight the flexibility and streamlined workflow of the Velocyt, demonstrating its value across multiple 3D applications. 

Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics College of Biological Sciences University of California Davis

The Role of 3D Organoids in Unraveling Pancreatic Cancer Epigenetics

In this presentation, I will discuss the application of 3D pancreatic cancer organoid models to explore the epigenetic underpinnings of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) progression.

Chief Scientific Officer, FibroBiologics

The Potential Use of Fibroblast Spheroids for the Treatment of Multiple Chronic Diseases

Fibroblasts are one of the most prevalent cells in the human body, and play critical roles in wound healing, tissue regeneration, secretion and maintenance of the extracellular matrix, maintenance of stem cell niches in every organ, and modulating the immune system. However, to date, they have not been utilized as a potential therapeutic. At FibroBiologics, we are looking into taking advantage of these unique single-cell and spheroid fibroblast characteristics to develop therapeutics for the treatment of chronic wound, and autoimmune disorders including multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, and diabetes. In this presentation I will present pre-clinical data on the use of topically administered fibroblast spheroids for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers, and intravenously administered fibroblast spheroids for the treatment of psoriasis. In our development work, we have made significant use of the Corning® Elplasia® plates for generating consistently sized fibroblast spheroids for our experiments.

Senior Scientist, Corning Life Sciences

Tips and Tricks for Optimizing your Spheroid and Organoid Cultures

In the last several years, many research publications have shown increased value of using 3D cell models compared to traditional 2D systems. Although considered by many as a more representative model of in vivo biology, setup of 3D models can be more challenging, especially when the throughput is further increased. This session will provide an overview of scaffold and scaffold free techniques and key optimizations for 3D cell culture. We will offer tips and tricks for improving spheroid and organoid formation, handling, and processing.

Field Application Scientist Manager, Corning Life Sciences

Tools for Generating 3D Cell Culture Models

3D cell culture models are varied and diverse, often making it difficult to choose the best technology for your application. The right tool often depends on the study goals and desired objective. During this presentation, you’ll learn about the variety of tools available for working with 3D cultures and helpful tips for selecting the right tool for your application.

Principle Investigator, Innovative Genomics Institute

Building Organoid Co-culture Platforms to Study Cytokine Signaling and Drug Resistance in Colon Cancer

The ability to generate precision cancer models by CRISPR editing organoids enables unprecedentedly high-fidelity in vitro models of solid tumors. This tissue level fidelity is especially important in the context of cancers of epithelial origin where traditional 2D cell line models fail to recapitulate the tissue architecture, transcriptional signatures, and functional behaviors of epithelial cells.  Recent efforts have focused on establishing organoid co-culture models in Corning® Matrigel® matrix to study cytokine signaling within tumors, test novel chemotherapeutics, and prototype therapeutic cargoes.

Sr. Development Engineer, Corning Life Sciences

Increasing Production of Scaffold-free 3D Cell Cultures with Corning® Elplasia® Technology

With the growing use of 3D cell cultures for cancer research and development of advanced therapies, there is an emerging need for scalable platforms to produce 3D cell cultures in bulk that maintain uniformity and superior performance compared to alternative scaffold-free technologies. In this presentation we will discuss the unique 3D cell culture products in the Corning Elplasia platform and how Corning Life Sciences is committed to delivering innovative technologies to meet the market demands of tomorrow.

Senior Scientific Director and Research Professor, The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology

Leveraging Drug Discovery Technologies to Create more Physiologically Relevant Models of Disease

Drug discovery with 3D cell models is possible due to recent development in 3D cell culture technologies. It is also now widely accepted that 3D cell models more accurately represent the physiologic conditions of tumors and or neuronal models of disease. However, there is still a need for more accurate tests that are scalable and better imitate the complex conditions in living tissues. Here, I present our 3D models of drug response profiling in patient derived primary tumors including GBM, melanoma, renal cell carcinoma as well as our development of neurospheres. This talk includes the use of Corning® Synthegel® 3D matrix, Elplasia® plates, and 3D uHTS compatible spheroid plates. The advantages and areas for more development will be highlighted.