SPEAKER PROFILE



Jose L Garcia-Cordero, PhD
Institute of Human Biology, Roche, Basel

Switzerland

Advanced Microfluidic Platforms for Scalable Organoid Culture

Abstract

Organoids have emerged as pivotal 3D in vitro models for biological research, drug discovery, and personalized medicine. However, challenges persist in generating organoids at scale and, for some organoid types, culturing them in suspension within well plate formats suitable for drug screening. This presentation introduces two technologies designed to address these challenges. The first is a hydrogel droplet-based microfluidic technology that efficiently produces large quantities of organoids. The second is the PulsePlate technology, which enables the growth of organoids in suspension within a well plate format. These technology advancements promise to enhance the efficiency and scalability of organoid-based applications in biomedical research.

Bio

José leads the Microtechnologies group at the Institute of Human Biology, where his team is dedicated to developing innovative technologies that automate and enhance the throughput of in vitro model systems. Their approach integrates microengineering, advanced materials, biosensors, and instrumentation. Prior to joining Roche in 2021, José was a Principal Investigator at Cinvestav in Mexico and served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, USA. He also completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Institute of Bioengineering at EPFL in Switzerland, where he trained under Prof. Maerkl.