Daniela Zdzieblo

Chair of In-vitro-Testsysthttpsems
Fraunhofer-Translationscentrum for Regenerative Therapys TLZ-RT
97070 Würzburg

Telefon 0931 4100-286

Email:daniela.zdzieblo@isc.fraunhofer.de
Web: www.regenerative-therapien.fraunhofer.de/de/arbeitsgebiete/in-vitro-tests.html

Research area:
Modeling the human gastrointestinal system in vitro

Gastrointestinal diseases, like chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, are on the rise, burdening global health systems. The complexity and heterogeneity of these diseases hinder conventional model systems from accurately representing pathology and mechanisms. Innovative concepts are crucial for understanding disease foundations and developing effective treatments while adhering to the 3R principle (Reduction, Refinement, Replacement). Innovation, to me, involves combining scientific knowledge with tissue engineering to create functional models of the human gastrointestinal system. The challenge lies in designing models that are complex yet simple, mimicking in vivo-like properties in vitro for standardized handling in applied research. My research focuses on creating complex yet manageable models. I use primary cell isolates or human induced pluripotent stem cells as sources for building in vitro models. Their ability to replicate genetic phenotypes and pathological properties in vitro, combined with biomimetic support structures inspired by nature, allows the modeling of gastrointestinal systems in 3D-like constructs, representing regulatory processes of the cellular niche in vitro.