16 July 2025

Geneva Researcher Develops Breakthrough Method to Improve Long-Term Organoid Culture

Innovative 3D-printed tool enhances organoid viability and enables high-throughput analysis

A Simpler Way to Support Complex Biology

Human organoids, miniaturized, lab-grown models of organs, are transforming how we study human development, disease, and potential therapies. But keeping organoids alive and functional for long periods has remained a challenge. As they grow, oxygen and nutrients struggle to reach the center, often leading to necrosis and poor viability.

Geneva researcher Nicholas Chartrain, PhD, addressed this challenge by developing a low-cost, high-efficiency tool that facilitates the cutting and management of organoids during extended culture periods. His recent co-authored publication, “An Efficient Organoid Cutting Method for Long-Term Culture and High-Throughput Analyses,” introduces a simple, sterile cutting system that helps maintain organoid health and scalability.

Design Meets Function

Using 3D printing, the team designed multiple cutting jigs to safely and uniformly slice human pluripotent stem cell-derived organoids. Among several models tested, a flat-bottom cutting jig proved most effective. Regular cutting improved nutrient diffusion, stimulated cell proliferation, and extended the lifespan of the organoids in culture, resulting in more consistent size and structure.

The study also introduced methods for embedding and cryosectioning organoid arrays using molds and common lab materials. These innovations enable researchers to process multiple samples simultaneously, paving the way for efficient applications in spatial transcriptomics, drug screening, and disease modeling.

Enabling Scalable, High-Impact Research

By removing key barriers to long-term organoid culture, this research supports the broader applications of organoids in personalized medicine, toxicology, and developmental biology.

Geneva’s support, through pre- and post-award services, programmatic infrastructure, and research operations expertise, enabled research projects like this one to move from concept to peer-reviewed publication.

Discover more about Geneva’s research and development solutions, and learn how we are developing and adapting promising new biotechnologies to enhance Warfighter readiness and resilience.