Biobanking of human gut organoids for translational research

The development of human organoid culture models has led to unprecedented opportunities to generate self-organizing, three-dimensional miniature organs that closely mimic in vivo conditions. The ability to expand, culture, and bank such organoids now provide researchers with the opportunity to generate next-generation living biobanks, which will substantially contribute to translational research in a wide range of areas, including drug discovery and testing, regenerative medicine as well as the development of a personalized treatment approach. However, compared to traditional tissue repositories, the generation of a living organoid biobank requires a much higher level of coordination, additional resources, and scientific expertise. In this short review, we discuss the opportunities and challenges associated with the generation of a living organoid biobank. Focusing on human intestinal organoids, we highlight some of the key aspects that need to be considered and provide an outlook for future development in this exciting field. Tissue banks: What to consider when biobanking mini-guts Repositories of mini-organs grown from patient-derived stem cells to closely resemble the architecture and function of the intestinal tract, provide an invaluable resource for drug discovery, regenerative medicine and personalized therapeutics. However, the construction and maintenance of such biobanks involve many scientific, logistic and ethical complexities that merit careful attention from both researchers and clinicians. Francesca Perrone and Matthias Zilbauer from the University of Cambridge, UK, review the various human intestinal organoid collections in existence, many of which focus on particular diseases such as colorectal cancer or cystic fibrosis. The authors discuss best practices for generating and storing these biological resources, emphasizing the need to include relevant patient information while protecting the identity of tissue donors. The article focuses on gut organoids, but should be relevant to any organoid biobanking effort.