Basic Research Workshop: Humanized Models: Tools to Advance Liver Disease Research

Description

The use of in vivo, especially mouse models and in vitro approaches using transformed cell lines, has been central to understanding pathogenesis of liver diseases over the last several decades. Yet these studies have encountered challenges in translating discoveries in non-human models to clinical applications. In addition, logistical and ethical restrictions of working with human tissue samples has further limited our ability to translate findings from in vivo and in vitro models to human disease. There is a growing need to establish better models that faithfully recapitulate human biological and pathobiological systems as well as mimic human diseases to serve as effective pre-clinical models to develop new therapeutics.

In vivo chimeric or “humanized” mice and ex vivo models including organoids and 3D liver organ-on-a-chip systems have emerged to incorporate variables associated with disease pathogenesis, allow target identification, drug discovery and evaluation of efficacy of disease treatment. It is pertinent to use both in vivo and ex vivo models enabling an overall perspective of factors that together influence a biological process and/or disease state.

The Basic Research Workshop will convene over 500 basic and clinical investigators interested in establishing innovative in vivo and ex-vivo tools to understand liver biology and disease development. This workshop will discuss the development of humanized mouse models, liver-on-a-chip approaches and disease modeling using organoid systems.