Imagine a future where we can predict how a drug will affect someone before they ever take it, or observe a disease unfold in real time, without touching a human or using animals. That future is taking shape through organoids.
Organoids are more than just cell cultures. These miniature, 3D versions of human organs are grown from stem cells and self-organize to mimic the structure and function of actual organs. They reflect how cells interact, respond to signals, and even fight infections.
Traditional lab models fall short. 2D cell models are too simple. Animal models often don't reflect human biology accurately. Promising lab results can fail in clinical trials, delaying progress and leaving individuals waiting.
The solution today
Governments and funding agencies are shifting research priorities to overcome these barriers. In the U.S., the FDA Modernization Act 2.0 and new NIH guidelines are pushing scientists to reduce or replace animal use in preclinical studies. Similar initiatives across the EU and UK follow the “3Rs” framework: Replace, Reduce, Refine.
The push is both ethical and scientific. Organoids, often derived from individuals' own cells, allow researchers to model human biology in ways that are more humane and more accurate than animal models. They offer a transformative approach to understanding disease and testing potential treatments.
The impact
From lungs to brains to intestines, organoids are already reshaping medicine by helping scientists answer critical questions:
- Why do some people get sick while others don't?
- Why does a treatment work for one person and fail for another?
- How can we study diseases like Alzheimer's without brain biopsies?
Breakthroughs are happening across the globe. Brain organoids help researchers study neurons that have lost function in neurodegenerative diseases. Lung organoids are being used to model respiratory infections like COVID-19. Tumor organoids enable oncologists to test potential treatments on an individual's own cells.
Organoids: Unlocking new possibilities
Organoids are providing more reliable, predictive insights than 2D cultures or animal models. With Revvity technologies, scientists can:
- Visualize complex biology with high-content imaging using the Phenovue reagents, Opera Phenix™ Plus and automated analysis via Harmony™ software.
- Assess cell health and proliferation at scale using ATPlite™ luminescence assay kits and the Victor Nivo™ or EnVision Nexus™ microplate readers.
- Detect biomarkers using AlphaLISA™ and HTRF™ immunoassays for sensitive, no-wash analysis, even from small sample volumes.
- Accelerate and scale organoid workflows with integrated lab automation solutions.
From accelerating drug discovery to improving toxicity screening and advancing personalized medicine, our solutions are helping researchers translate the promise of organoids into actionable breakthroughs.
The broader journey
Organoids are still an emerging technology, but their potential and impact is growing rapidly, driven by evolving policies, ethical priorities, and the need for human-specific models. As AI and high-throughput solutions advance, scientists will unlock deeper insights, discover new targets, and design tomorrow's potential treatments.
This is just the beginning. Revvity is helping bridge the gap from research and discovery to diagnostics and, ultimately, cures. The future is filled with unknowns, from new diseases to evolving conditions and scientific breakthroughs will raise questions we don't yet know how to answer.
That's why we partner with customers not only to identify today's barriers, but also to prepare for tomorrow's challenges. By providing technologies that uncover biology at the cellular level, platforms that reveal disease in its earliest stages, and solutions that accelerate drug development, we equip scientists to confront the unexpected. The organoid story shows how far we've come, but it's only part of a larger journey.
Together, we are not just responding to what is known today, we are establishing the capabilities to face what comes next, advancing science one discovery, one breakthrough, and one individual at a time.
Until the gap between research and cure is closed, the story continues. At Revvity, we're here for every chapter. Challenge accepted.
For research use only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.
