2022 James W. Freston Conference: Gastrointestinal Organoids and Engineered Organ Systems

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PROJECT SUMMARY This application requests support for an American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) James W. Freston Single Topic Conference entitled “Gastrointestinal Organoids and Engineered Organ Systems” to be held in Washington D.C. in October 2022. NIH funds will be used to support travel awards for trainees and young investigators to attend, present their science and interact with experts in the field, with the ultimate expectation that these interactions will lead to new scientific collaborations and strategies to advance gastroenterology research. This conference addresses a need in the biomedical and pharmaceutical communities for more relevant human GI cell-based in vitro model systems. For decades, GI studies have relied nearly exclusively on human cancer cell lines and animal models, which has limited understanding of human GI biology and disease. The recent development of innovative GI organoid and engineered tissue models now allows the use of more relevant human cell-based systems. This conference will bring together experts in GI organ cell and developmental biology and disease pathology, with leading bioengineers and tissue-chip developers to enhance the use of human organoid/tissue engineered platforms and foster broad and rapid adoption by the GI research community. The conference includes invited expert speakers representing divergent GI organoid models and engineered tissue approaches, oral presentations from trainees and young investigators to be selected from submitted abstracts, and poster presentations based on abstract submissions. The small size and program details will provide numerous opportunities for young investigator/trainees to interact with established experts. The GOALS of the conference are: 1) To present new and emerging biological insights into GI homeostasis and disease, and state-of-the-art methodologies to engineer in vitro GI organ systems; 2) To increase scientific dialogue and provide opportunities for scientific collaboration between GI physicians, cell biologists, and bioengineers to improve the reliability of existing approaches and apply them in novel ways to study human GI tissue biology or model GI diseases; 3) To increase the interaction of hepatobiliary, pancreatic, and luminal GI scientists and improve cross-fertilization of approaches and methodologies between these groups; 4) To provide opportunities for trainees and early stage investigators to present their research and network with established investigators; and 5) To facilitate the adoption of novel human culture systems and innovative platforms and analytic technologies by GI disease investigators. A final session will assemble an expert panel to make consensus recommendations on approaches to enhance the development of GI organoids and engineered organ systems for research and discovery applications.