Human Advanced In Vitro Model Initiative

Congratulations to this year’s HUMAIN Awardees:

Dr. Veronica Zingales, Distinguished Professor, University of Valencia, Spain

Project Title: Developing a Functional Toxicity Index for human-relevant hepatotoxicity screening: application to foodborne contaminant risk assessment

This project aims to create a new, human-based system for detecting harmful effects of chemicals on the liver, using advanced 3D liver models instead of animals. By combining data from multiple tests into a single, easy-to-understand score, the tool will provide faster, more reliable, and more ethical safety information, starting with toxins commonly found in food.

Dr. Francesca E. Duncan, Thomas J. Watkins Memorial Professor of Reproductive Science, and Dr. Hannes Campo, Postdoctoral Fellow, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, United States

Project Title: Establishing a physiologically relevant antifibrotic drug screening platform for the human ovary to extend reproductive longevity and improve woman’s health

This project aims to create the first human-based ovary–liver co-culture model to study and reverse age-related ovarian fibrosis, a key driver of reproductive aging and menopause-related health decline. By screening hundreds of anti-fibrotic drug candidates, the research seeks to identify new therapies that could improve ovarian health and quality of life for women as they age.

Dr. Cristina Müller, Research Group Leader, Paul Scherrer Institute, ETH Zurich, Switzerland

Project Title: Revolutionizing radiopharmaceutical testing with 3D in vitro tumor models for clinical impact in metastatic cancer therapy

This project aims to create advanced 3D human tumor models to test new radiopharmaceuticals for treating neuroendocrine cancers. By comparing two radionuclides and treatment methods, the study will determine which radiation type is most effective to kill cancer cells in the dimension of micrometastases.

Dr. João Carlos Silva, Assistant Researcher at the Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, and Invited Assistant Professor at Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, Portugal

Project Title: WOAH-Pause! – In vitro modelling of women osteoarthritis health during menopause

This project aims to develop the first human-based dynamic in vitro model that mimics both osteoarthritis (OA) and menopause-related hormonal alterations. The model will help reveal why the OA disease worsens after menopause and allow testing of safer, more personalized therapies, reducing reliance on animal experiments.