Welcome to Bonn Organoid Club!

The Bonn Organoid Club brings together researchers at all career stages to share their expertise and reagents on organoid models. We focus on the technical aspects of organoid models and regularly invite external scientists to present their research. Learn more about our meetings and talks and stay up to date by subscribing to our mailing list!

Who is doing research on 3D/organoid models in Bonn?

Discover and find collaboration partners on our new "Who is Who" page!

Our next events:

Bonn Organoid Symposium: 12.03.2026
More information and registration

How can I participate?

Our “Organoid Club” is aimed at researchers at all career levels at the University of Bonn and local cooperation partners. If you want to join us, attend the seminars and exchange ideas with other Organoid aficionados (and those who want to become one) over pizza and drinks afterwards. Sign up for our mailing list to receive regular updates about our events (Uni-ID required).

Registration without Uni-ID

Please send us an e-mail if you work at a non-university institution and would like to join the mailing list.

E-Mail contact

Our Research Topics

Which organoids and research topics are we working on? What techniques and methods do we use? Get to know working groups and their research topics here. Find your cooperation partner!

2nd Bonn Organoid Symposium: Showcasing Innovation and Collaboration in Organoid Research

On Thursday, 12 March, around 140 researchers from across Germany and beyond convened in the Biomedical Center on Venusberg Campus of the University of Bonn for the second edition of the Bonn Organoid Symposium. Organized by the Bonn Organoid Club in collaboration with TRA Life and Health, the event highlighted cutting-edge advances in organoid science through a dynamic program featuring seven invited keynote speakers and five selected short presentations.
The presentations covered a broad spectrum of biological and biomedical questions, demonstrating the versatility and growing impact of organ-on-chip and organoid model systems. A dedicated poster session provided an excellent forum for in-depth scientific exchange, technical discussions, and networking among researchers—both from Bonn and institutions across Germany.
Participants also had the opportunity to explore exhibition booths by leading industry partners, showcasing the latest technological innovations and specialized products designed to support organoid research and applications. Additionally, the 3R Competence Network North Rhine-Westphalia (3R Kompetenznetzwerk NRW) presented its initiatives to promote the replacement, reduction, and refinement of animal experimentation, emphasizing the pivotal role of organoids as ethical and scientifically robust alternatives in preclinical research.
The symposium concluded with the presentation of the Best Talk Award, which was bestowed upon Anna-Lena Ament (AG Vazquez, LIMES-Institute) for her outstanding contribution entitled: "Generation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (hiPSC)-Derived Lung Organoids Containing a Vascular Compartment." Congratulations to Anna-Lena!

The 2nd Bonn Organoid Symposium once again showcased the enthusiasm of the organoid research community in Bonn and underscored the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in advancing biomedical science.

Best Talk Award for Anna-Lena Ament © M. Brömer/Uni Bonn

Transdisciplinary Research Prize "Modelling for Life and Health" awarded to Ana Ivonne Vazquez-Armendariz and Jan Hasenauer

We are pleased to announce that Ivonne and Jan have received the prize for their project "Random walks or directed paths? - Harvesting the potential of 3D-modeling to uncover the impact of ontogeny on alveolar macrophage dynamics". TRA Life and Health and TRA Modelling have awarded this prize for the second time to projects using innovative modeling approaches for answering current questions from the life sciences.

Uni Bonn Press Release

TRA Preis Modelling for Life and Health_Lannert-030425-13.jpg

New BMBF-funded project "ISPOT-K"

Tumor (left) and tumor organoids (right) © Poonacha/Uni Bonn

Congratulations to Elena Reckzeh and Jan Hasenauer for securing BMBF funding for the innovative project ISPOT-K: The ISPOT-K-team will create organoids from patient-derived colorectal tumors and treat them with several cancer drugs. In a next step, the obained data will be correlated with further molecular and physiolocial patient data to create a digital twin to simulate reactions for possible treatment options. This is done in collaboration with the company MSPlabs/ESQlabs. This may eventually facilitate truly personalized treatment options for cancer patients!

2nd Bonn Organoid Day

Eine Wissenschaftlerin und ein Wissenschaftler arbeiten hinter einer Glasfassade und mischen Chemikalien mit Großgeräten.

Successful debut: First Bonn Organoid Symposium with over 150 participants

On 6 November 2024, the first Bonn Organoid Symposium, organized by the Bonn Organoid Club and TRA Life and Health, took place in the BMZ-I lecture hall. With over 150 registered participants, the event was a complete success.
The symposium offered a diverse program with 7 invited speakers, including Madeleine Bunders (Hamburg), Mikael Sellin (Uppsala), Daniel Krueger (Utrecht), Kai Kretzschmar (Würzburg), Mattia Gerli (London), Ana Ivonne Vazquez-Armendariz and Volker Busskamp (both Bonn). The presentations ranged from disease modelling in intestinal, kidney and lung organoids to the establishment and function of vascularized retinal organoids and work with oral mucosal organoids and amniotic fluid cells.
The program was complemented by three short talks selected from submitted abstracts and a poster session. The event provided participants with a unique opportunity to engage with the latest research and developments in the field, network with colleagues and make new contacts.

We are thrilled with the positive feedback and lively atmosphere and are already looking forward to the next symposium in 2026!

Bonn Organoid Day 18.06.2024

With around 70 participants and more than 40 active contributions (short talks and flash talks), the first “Bonn Organoid Day” has been a big success! Scientists of all career levels with interest in organoid techniques discussed about a wide range of application fields for research questions in many different tissues/organs (tonsil, kidney, skin, bone, gut, lung, brain, retina, adipose tissue and more). The program also included presentations on more overarching topics such as ethical frontiers in organoid research, state-of-the-art microscopy techniques, mathematical modelling or services provided by the cell reprogramming core facility. The event ended with drinks and more discussions during a nice barbecue and after the thunderstorms had finally cleared away, we could even sit outside.