On 26 March 2025, the official launch of the NSW Organoid Innovation Centre (NSWOIC) was hosted at the University of Sydney with over 80 guests of honour and researchers in attendance. The Governance Board of the centre, Prof Michael Kassiou, A/Prof Renee Whan and A/Prof Anai Gonzalez-Cordero were joined by the Chief Scientist and Engineer, Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte to mark this historic occasion in the acceleration of health research innovation. Executive leaders from the establishing institutions, Prof Julie Cairney (the University of Sydney), Professor Stephen Rodda (UNSW Sydney) and Professor Roger Reddel (The Children’s Medical Research Facility) in turn addressed the significance of this multi-institutional collaboration.
Funded as part the Emerging Infrastructure Fund – Synthetic Biology and Manufacturing, the facilities are first in Australia and second in the world. The collective expertise and stem cell technology access offered by the centre is a critical milestone in the NSW 20-Year R&D Roadmap to produce “world-leading new technologies, products and services.”
The NSWOIC will provide applicant researchers access to reproducible and reliable organoids to progress research in disease modelling, regenerative medicine and drug discovery. In addition to pluripotent cell derivation, the centre has the capacity to reliably reproduce patient-derived stem cells for personalised medicine research. Integrated capabilities include biobanking, drug screening, functional analysis, high-throughput testing and funding application support.
The use of organoids in medical research is an advanced alternative to using animal models in medical research. As such, stem cell technology stands to resolve one of the longest-standing ethical concerns in science while improving data accuracy. In the case of drug discovery application, it shortens the gap between bench-top research, preclinical and clinical trials.
“Organoid technology bridges the gap between initial discovery and testing directly in humans, with the potential to rapidly accelerate relevant drugs to treat disease”
Professor Michael Kassiou
The NSW Organoid Innovation Centre is due to open to applications from researchers in the academic and commercial sectors by mid-2025.
If you have questions about the specifications of your project, please contact us via the site form.
