On Thursday, October 30th 2025, we hosted our annual symposium under the theme “Spotlight on Immunology and Immune Organoids”. The event, held at the O2 building of the Amsterdam UMC (location VUMC), brought together researchers and clinicians to explore how organoid technology is revolutionizing immunology and translational research. Notably, around 75% of the attendees joined the symposium for the first time – a clear sign of the expanding field and growing interest in organoid technology.

Our diverse speaker lineup, which included Prof. dr. Amalia Dolga (University Medical Center Groningen), Dr. Rodrigo Oliveira (CRISPR Center), Dr. Emile van den Akker (Sanquin), and Dr. Jochem Bernink (Experimental Immunology Amsterdam UMC), showcased cutting-edge developments such as iPSC-derived brain organoids to study Alzheimer’s disease, human intestinal tuft cells, and culturing erythrocytes from induced pluripotent stem cells to generate erythrocytes of constant quality.

This year’s programme also include talks from postdocs and a PhD candidate from Amsterdam UMC: Dr. Lotte de Winde presented progress on lympho-on-chip models, Dr. Hildo Lantermans showcased advancements made in kidney organoids research, and Marlon de Gast introduced developments on tonsil organoids, and . Their presentations reflected the vibrant and collaborative spirit of the organoid research community.

A representative from Proefdiervrij, Lisanne de Vor, also attended to introduce the Proefdiervrij Venture Challenge — a programme that guides researchers to transform a scientific innovation into a solid business plan. Afterwards, an inspiring poster session provided the stage for early-career scientists to showcase their latest results and network with peers and mentors. In this session, attendees were also invited to get acquainted with Miltenyi Biotec, a global biotechnology company offering research and clinical grade products for sample preparation, cell separation, flow cytometry, and cell culture applications. 

Since 2023, the annual ORCAU symposium has been strengthening collaborations within the Dutch and international organoid community. By facilitating knowledge exchange, institutional partnerships, and building bridges between basic science and clinical applications, we strive to make organoid research more translational, integrated, and impactful. 

The Organoid Center Amsterdam UMC (ORCAU) is an organoid center that promotes the use of human organoids and organotypic models for studying human biology and tackling human diseases. ORCAU aims to connect experts in organoid technology, train research, and disseminate organoid research.