Now that the Biosafety requirements have been fulfilled I am able to enter the lab and begin to explore the research going on there.  I attended a weekly meeting where the lab members gave updates on their research projects and immediately realised how much I have to learn!

My main  focus for this Synapse project is the sensory responses of  neurons using specific progenitor cells in the form of 3D in vitro cultured cellular organisms known as ‘organoids’ :

Stem cell derived 3D organoids simulate neuronal brain activity (Dottori Lab, ref. Alshawaf et al, 2018, Scientific Reports)

As I understand it, organoids were only discovered about 10 years ago and have transformed cellular research practices. They are 3D, so rather than examining cells on a flat slide, scientists can observe cellular activity in the round via an organoid simulacrum. Although organoid technology is still relatively new, research scientists are embracing the potential it offers. For a more comprehensive description of organoids please check the following link: https://www.stemcell.com/technical-resources/area-of-interest/organoid-research.html

I am looking forward to visiting the a Tissue Culture Lab where Dottori lab researcher: Mitchell St Clair-Glover, is culturing organoids for use in experiments.