Journal of IiMER May 2025 The Carding Group will present their development of organ-on-chip platforms, which replicate human tissue environments to study ME/CFS pathology and test therapeutic interventions in a controlled setting. Tamas Korcsmaros Imperial College London, UK BRMEC14: Organoids Dr Korcsmaros will explain how organoid models-miniaturised, threedimensional tissue cultures-can be used to investigate ME/CFS mechanisms and host-microbe interactions. Organoids are three-dimensional, stem cell-derived structures that closely mimic the architecture and function of human tissues. Under Dr Korcsmaros’s leadership, the Organoid Facility at Imperial serves as a multidisciplinary hub, supporting the generation, culture, and biobanking of organoids from both induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) and adult biopsies. The facility provides expertise and training for researchers, facilitates the design and execution of organoid-based experiments, and develops complex disease models with integrated multi-omics readouts. Dr Korcsmaros’s research focuses on using organoids to model human disease more accurately than traditional cell cultures or animal models. By collaborating with engineering and clinical teams, his group is advancing the use of organoids and organ-on-chip systems to study cell-cell and cellmicrobiome interactions in a physiologically relevant context. This is particularly important for diseases like ME/CFS, where tissue-specific pathology and complex intercellular communication are central to disease mechanisms. Organoid models are revolutionising biomedical research by enabling patient-specific disease modelling, drug screening, and precision medicine approaches. The work of Dr Korcsmaros and his facility lowers the barrier for researchers to access these cutting-edge methods, supports the development of more accurate disease models, and helps translate laboratory findings into clinical applications. In the context of BRMEC14, his expertise is crucial for advancing in vitro modelling of ME/CFS and related conditions, supporting the discovery of novel therapeutic targets and personalised interventions. Dezso Modos, Imperial College London, UK BRMEC14: In Silico Models Dr Dezso Modos is a systems biologist and Imperial College Research Fellow with a background in medicine and computational biology. His research focuses on developing and applying in silico (computer-based) models to integrate and analyse complex biological data, particularly in the context of human disease. He has worked extensively on multi-omics data integration, network biology, and the use of computational tools to unravel disease mechanisms. Dr Modos has contributed to projects involving the reconstruction of signalling networks and the analysis of patient-specific pathways, including studies on inflammatory and immune-mediated Page 32 of 43 Invest in ME Research
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