De novo design of a tumor spheroid containing multiple cell types within a 3D printed scaffold or "cage" with vascularisation

Ex vivo, de novo & in silico models in biomedical research

3R-BioMedicUS brings you the 3R-Network BW Annual Conference 2025

Highlight on innovative patient-predictive 3R models that promote biomedical research through science & engineering

With support from and in cooperation with:

Join us!

Looking forward to engaging talks and poster presentations, and plenty of opportunities to network at the upcoming 3R-Network BW Annual Conference 2025 Ex vivo, de novo & in silico models in biomedical research”, taking place at the University of Stuttgart, on Campus-Vaihingen, over a two day period next spring: 01.04. - 02.04.2025

Our network is funded by the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts (Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kunst - MWK) of the state of Baden-Württemberg with the aim to anchor the 3R principles (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) into our research, teaching and training activities. We therefore stride for better patient-predictive models through science and engineering, replacing and reducing animal testing, and bringing the future of 3R models for biomedical research into the present.

Make sure to register and send your abstract to us by the 15th of February 2025! We are looking forward to an inspiring conference and to welcoming you in Stutgart next spring!

What do we understand by ex vivo, de novo and in silico?

Below, you can find the way we define these terms and examples of models that can fall in the three categories. However, it is important to note that biomedical research models are often complex, comprising of a combination of various ex vivo, de novo and/or in silico elements, and therefore allowing some flexibility in the assignment to a group.

Ex vivo – performing experiments or measurements in or on tissue removed from an organism with minimal alteration of natural conditions, contributing both to reduction of animals used in pre-clinical studies, as well as allowing direct testing on human tissue samples.

  • Ex vivo models, e.g.:
    • primary patient material
    • organoids
    • organotypic slice cultures

De novo – designing and constructing tissue ”anew”, in a so-called “bottom-up” approach, starting with small structural/functional units such as different cell types added onto custom-designed biological scaffolds, aiming to recapitulate tissue composition and architecture. 

To distinguish de novo from ex vivo, we also consider in vitro models that use immortalized cell lines instead of primary cells as de novo "building blocks". 

  • De novo models, e.g.:
    • tissue engineering
    • bioprinting
    • microphysiological systems (MPS)
    • body- and organ-on-chip
    • organoids (iPSCs)

In silico – computational patient models built upon existing literature and experimental data, that allow scientists to model disease responses and to run complex simulations of research experiments.

  • In silico models, digital twins, e.g.:
    • PKPD modeling
    • virtual organs/tissues
    • clinical trial simulations

Agenda Day 1 - April 1st, 2025

09:00 - 09:45 Welcome & Registration (Coffee Break)

09:45 - 10:00 Opening remarks
                     Prof. Monilola Olayioye (3R-BioMeidicUS Speaker, University of Stuttgart)                                                                           Prof. Manfred Bischoff (Vice Rector for Research and Sustainable Development, University of Stuttgart)

10:00 – 10:15 Opening remarks
                      Representative of the Ministry of Science, Research and Arts (MWK)

10:15 – 11:00 Keynote: Prof. Volker Lauschke (Karolinska Institute/Robert Bosch Hospital Stuttgart)
“Organotypic and microphysiological human model systems to improve translational pharmacology”

11:00 – 11:30 Assoc. Prof. Helmut Dolznig (Medical University of Vienna)
“Preclinical ex vivo models recapitulating tumor-stroma interaction in colon cancer“

11:30 – 12:00 Univ.-Prof. Dr. rer. med. Alexander Kleger (Ulm University Hospital & iR-Center Ulm)
“Pancreatic cancer patient-derived organoids capture therapy response and tumor evolution"

12:00 – 12:15 Hanna Glasebach (Fraunhofer IGB, Stuttgart)
“Novel in-vitro psoriasis model based on genetically engineered keratinocytes“

12:15 – 12:30 t.b.d. (selected based on abstract submission)

14:00 – 14:30 Dr. Paulin Jirkof (3R-Coordinator, University of Zurich)
“Refinement Matters: Improving Animal Welfare in Swiss Research”

14:30 – 14:45 Dr. Anne Mallien (ZI Mannheim)
“Severity Assessment: How can we detect impairments?”

14:45 – 15:30 Keynote: Dr. Thomas Eissing (Bayer AG, Germany)

“Model-Informed Drug Development”

15:30 – 16:00 Prof. Tian Qiu (TU Dresden & DKFZ Dresden)
“Cyber-physical Organ Models for Surgical Robots and Medical Training”

16:00 – 16:15 Prof. Markus Morrison (Rehm) (University of Stuttgart)
“Shortcuts from basic cancer research to in silico estimates of patient drug responsiveness”

16:15 – 16:30 Cristian Barrios Espinosa (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)
“From Animals to Simulations: How Cardiac Modeling Supports the 3R Principles”

17:00 – 17:45 Anna Ross (grasshopper kreativ)
“Mind the gap: An interactive session on communication and engagement”

17:45 – 18:00 Lea Wirth (German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases DZNE)
Science Slam  - “EYE see YOU”

 

Agenda Day 2 - April 2nd, 2025

09:30 – 10:00 Prof. Jens Kurreck (TU Berlin)
“Bioprinted Organ Models for Biomedical Research”

10:00 – 10:30 Dr. Madalena Cipriano (University of Tübingen)
“Studying metabolism using organ-on-chip technology”

10:30 – 10:45 t.b.d. (selected based on abstract submission)

10:45 – 11:00 t.b.d. (selected based on abstract submission)

11:00 - 11:30 Coffee Break

11:30 - 12:15 Keynote: Prof. Petra Kluger (Hochschule Reutlingen)
“Advancing Adipose Tissue Engineering with Innovative Approaches”

Venue, Travel & Accommodation

Pfaffenwaldring 47, 70569 Stuttgart

Foyers and Lecture Room 47.2

Travel by Train:

Take the S-Bahn train to Stuttgart Universität (S1, S2 or S3). Exit the Universität station towards "Universitätszentrum". The entrance to the conference venue is within a few steps from the S-Bahn exit.

Tickets: Deutsche Bahn or VVS

From Stuttgart Main Station – Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof (tief): S1 direction Herrenberg, S2 direction Filderstadt or S3 direction Vaihingen (sometimes Flughafen/Messe).

From the Airport – Flughafen/Messe S-Bahn station: S1 direction Kirchheim (T), S2 direction Schorndorf or S3 direction Backnang.

Travel by Car:

Although parking on Campus Vaihingen is free of charge, we encourage travel by means of public transport, because availability of parking spots on workdays can be limited. The closest parking lot is a short, 5-minute walk away from the venue. Parking spots are also present along the streets, but finding a spot might require some time.

Participants are expected to book and pay for their own accommodation. A mix of single and twin rooms have been reserved for 2 nights from the 31st of March to the 2nd of April 2025 at several hotels listed below, two of which located in Stuttgart-Vaihingen, close to the conference venue, and two in the vicinity of the Main Station in Stuttgart city center. Participants should contact the hotel directly to make a reservation using the booking code by the specific deadline set by the hotel. The details are as follows:

 Stuttgart-Vaihingen:

Hotel: ibis Styles Stuttgart Vaihingen 

Address: Ruppmannstraße 20, 70565 Stuttgart

Deadline for booking: 17.02.25     

Event code: 3R-BW

Contact email: HA6Q4-RE@accor.com

Hotel: Römerhof

Address: Robert-Leicht-Straße 93, 70563 Stuttgart

Deadline for booking: 27.02.25

Event code: 3R-BW 31.03.2025

Contact email: info@roemerhof-kulinarium.de

 

Stuttgart City Center (proximity to Main Station):

Hotel: Motel One Stuttgart-Hauptbahnhof

Address: Kriegsbergstraße 32, 70174

Deadline for booking: 03.03.25

Event code: 3R-BW

Please use the following form to request for the room: MotelOne_Allotment_contract_263

Contact email: stuttgart-hauptbahnhof@motel-one.com 

Hotel: Hotel Unger

Address: Kronenstraße 17, 70173 Stuttgart

Deadline for booking: 03.03.25

Event code: 3R-BW

Contact email: info@hotel-unger.de

3R-Network BW Annual Conference 2025 - Registration Form

Please fill in the following form to register for the 3R-Network BW Annual Conference 2025.

Please note that the fields marked with * are mandatory, and you need to click the checkbox in the Events field before submitting your registration.

Upon successful registration, you will receive an automatic confirmation by email.

All fields marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory.


Thank you for taking the time to register!

Please read the following data privacy statement. By pressing the "Submit" button, you agree to its terms.

 

Privacy statement

Information according to Art. 13 GDPR

1. Responsible body and data protection officer

Information on the responsible body and the data protection officer can be found in the university's privacy policy.

2. Description and categories of data

The form records the data you enter in a database in a structured manner. The date and time are also recorded in the database.

3. Purpose

Implementation and confirmation of the registration, processing of the 3R-Network BW Annual Conference 2025 event.

4. Legal basis

The legal basis is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. e DS-GVO in conjunction with Art. 6 para. 3 DS-GVO in conjunction with § 4of the personal data protection law (Landesdatenschutzgesetz).

5. Recipient

The recipients of the personal data transmitted via the form are the employees at the University of Stuttgart who are responsible for organizing the event.

For budgetary reasons, the financial department (Haushaltsabteilung) receives a list of participants for the billing of catering.

6. Duration of storage

The entry is automatically deleted from the database after six months.

The copy in the form of a table is saved locally and deleted four weeks after the end of the event.

The list of participants at the financial department (Haushaltsabteilung) is stored for 10 years.

7. Consequences of non-disclosure, possibility of objection or removal

Registration and thus participation in the event cannot be carried out without mandatory information.

This electronic form is the easiest way to register. However, it is voluntary.

It is also possible to register by post by sending the completed form by the required deadline to:

Raluca Tamas (University of Stuttgart, Institute of Cell Biology and Immunology, Allmandring 31, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany)

8. Your rights

Information about your rights can be found in the University's privacy policy.

 

Please note that abstract submission is separate from the registration to the event, and can be done at the following link.

Contact us

This image shows Monilola Olayioye

Monilola Olayioye

Prof. Dr.

Professor of Molecular Tumor Cell Biology

This image shows Raluca Tamas

Raluca Tamas

Dr. rer. nat.

3R-BioMedicUS Scientific Coordinator

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