Welcome to WORD+ 2026 from WORC.Community: The only social network for organoid, organ-on-a-chip, & NAM researchers & societies
4th & 5th February 2026, Hinxton, Cambridge, U.K.
4th Annual WORD+ Organoids, Organ-on-a-chip, Assembloids & other innovative NAMs.
Join exceptional researchers & technology innovators.
>30 Talks from academia, pharmaceutical & industry.
>30 Organoid & organ-on-a-chip technology exhibition.
>100 Research Posters.
2026 includes society research showcases with
NC3Rs, IMPSS & EUROoCS.
See all chairs and speakers below
Key discussion session day two:
Exploring the challenges and successful implementation
of NAM adoption. International panel.
Your WORD+2026 speakers and chairs include: Assistant Professor Lena Smirnova. Dr Magdalena Kasendra. Professor Luc van der Laan. Professor Kerensa Broersen. Dr. Benjamin P. Sharpe. Dr Liisa Vilén. Dr Miina Bjorninen. Jun Professor Hannes Beyer. Dr Mhairi Morris. Dr Julia Hesse. Professor Hanne Scholz. Professor Ozlem Yesil Celiktas. Professor Elzbieta Jastrzebska. Professor Rick Livesey. Professor Lyle Armstrong. Dr Adriana Buskin. Professor Giovanni Tonon. Dr Petra de Graaf. Dr Nicole Prior. Professor Johanna Bolander. Dr. Pablo F. Céspedes. Dr Cathy Vickers. Dr Pelin Candarlioglu Deacon. Dr Bas van Balkom. Dr Elvira Weber. Professor Stefan Krauss Deiml. Professor Steven Wilson. Dr Rhiannon David. Prof Giovanni Blandino. Dr Frauke Christ. Dr Sara Sofia Deville.
'I can truly say this event is a highlight in the calendar for anyone working in organoids, organ-on-a-chip models, and the broader NAMs community. The energy, the science, the collaborations, it’s all exceptional'.
Exhibition Opportunities
>30 Presentations from leading researchers, >100 Scientific Posters, >30 Technologies
Discussion Chair
Prof Luc van der Laan
Special Spotlight session
Academic ideas & Industry Successes.
Three more inspirational talks at WORD+2026:
Professor Rick Livesey
Professor Lyle Armstrong
Dr Adriana Buskin
Supported by Babraham Institute, who's Stem Cell Meeting follows WORD+2026
See below for more info.
UK & Ireland Showcase
Session Chair
Dr Cathy Vickers
Head of Innovation
NC3Rs
Complex models & Assembloids
Session Chair
Dr Sara Sofia Deville
Community Reviewer
Frontiers
Director of R & D
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.
<< Highlighted speakers >>
Assistant Professor Lena Smirnova
Neural organoid microphysiological systems inc Ai and new methodologies for developmental neurotoxicity testing and understanding gene environmental interactions in autism. Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA.
Professor Luc van der Laan. Macrophage-augmented organoids recapitulate the complex pathophysiology of viral diseases and enable development of multitarget therapeutics
Dr Helena Rannikmae
Advancing translational in vitro models, including organoids, microphysiological systems and 3D bioprinted constructs to support different therapeutic areas.
Complex In Vitro Models, GSK. UK
Dr. Benjamin P. Sharpe
Patient-derived tumour assembloid models for modelling the tumour microenvironment of esophageal cancer
Southampton University. U.K
Dr Miina Bjorninen.
3D muscle-on-a-chip solutions and bioprinting vascularised bone.
Centre of Excellence in Body-on-Chip Research. Tampere University, Finland
Professor Kerensa Broersen. Microphysiological systems for enhanced tissue function and potential for disease modeling including intestinal microbiome and brain interaction.
University of Twente. Netherlands
Jun Professor Hannes Beyer. Programmable synthetic 3-D tissue culture models with intrinsic sense- and response-behavior, and optogenetic (light-responsive) control.
University of Düsseldorf. Germany.
Dr Julia Hesse.
The development and application of human pathological Vasculature 3D models.
University of Düsseldorf. Germany.
Professor Lyle Armstrong. Developing organoid and other complex models of human tissues for advancing pre-clinical science in both drug discovery and toxicology.
Stem Cell Sciences, Newcastle University and CSO Newcells Biotech. U.K
Dr Adriana Buskin.
'Modelling Prostate Cancer and Therapy Resistance Using iPSC-Derived Organoids'
Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer. U.K
Organ-on-chip technology to study cardiovascular, renal and metabolic diseases and to advance the development of future treatments. AstraZeneca, Sweden.
Professor Johanna Bolander
Compartmentalized models, including: Pain on a chip, Osteoarthritis on a chip & Neurovasculature on a chip
Julius Wolff Institut (JWI) - Center for Musculoskeletal Biomechanics and Regeneration. Germany.
Professor Hanne Scholz. Tools for cell-based therapies to treat diabetes in a pre-clinical and clinical setting including a pump-Less, Recirculating Organ-on-Chip (rOoC) Platform to Model the Metabolic Crosstalk between Islets and Liver
Department of Transplantation Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, University Of Oslo. Norway.
Professor Ozlem Yesil Celiktas. Multidisciplinary approaches to design and develop organ-on-chip platforms including
Professor Elzbieta Jastrzebska. Development of advanced vascularised (Multi-)Organ-on-a-chip systems including a Lab-on-a-chip system integrated with nanofiber mats used as a potential tool to study cardiovascular diseases.
Centre for advanced materials and technologies, University Of Warsaw. Poland.
Professor Rick Livesey. Novel human stem cell models of Alzheimer’s disease provide a transformative platform for rapid and more therapeutically relevant compound identification.
CEO, Talisman Therapeutics, U.K
Dr Magdalena Kasendra
Autologous Organoid-T Cell Co-Culture Platform for Modeling of Immune-Mediated Drug-Induced Liver Injury
Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. USA
Dr Nicole Prior
Liver development and regeneration using 3D organoid systems
Southampton University, U.K.
Professor Giovanni Tonon.
3D organoids drug screening advances for Functional Genomics in Oncology.
San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan, Italy
Dr Petra de Graaf . Organoids and organ on a chip studies of the urogenital tract including a novel vascularized urethra-on-a-chip model a platform to study the pathogenesis of urethral diseases and verify the effectiveness of drug treatment.
UMC Utrecht. Netherlands.
Dr. Pablo F. Céspedes. Lymphoid organoid and explant hub, CAMS. Discovery framework technologies including synthetic antigen-presenting cells (sAPC) and lymphoid organoids supporting the dissection of T cell communication.
University of Oxford. U.K
Dr Mhairi Morris.
One year on 'TAMEing the Breast' 3D in vitro model of obesity-related breast cancer.
Loughborough University. U.K
Dr. Louis-Bastien Weiswald.
Long-term patient-derived ovarian cancer organoids closely recapitulate tumor of origin and clinical response.
Also update on head and neck cancer organoid research.
Comprehensive Cancer Center François Baclesse, France
UK Organoid & Organ-on-a-Chip Society, launching 3rd February 2026 (Before WORD+)
Netherlands Showcase
Session Chair
Dr Bas van Balkom
Austria-Germany- Swiss Showcase
Session Chair
Dr Elvira Weber
Head of laboratory at CURE 3D #organoids.
Universitätskliniku
Düsseldorf
Scandi Showcase
Session co-chairs
Prof Stefan Krauss Deiml
Prof Steven Wilson
Director &
Deputy Head.
University of Oslo
Discussion Chair
Dr Rhiannon David
Senior Director, Head of Advanced Cell Models, Safety Sciences
AstraZeneca
Italy & Spain Showcase
Session Chair
Prof Giovanni Blandino
Director Translational Oncology
IRCSS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute
Belgium & France Showcase
Session Chair
Dr Frauke Christ
Innovation Manager
KU LEUVEN
'WORD is simply the best Organoid and Chip event I have been too!
Inclusive and welcoming, a real community feel. It's the only place where amazing, innovative science, research and technologies come together so seamlessly. Both the talks and posters gave so much food for thought. I left WORD+2025 motivated and inspired with so many ideas for my own research and glad I could share my own too.
Two wonderful and inspiring days, with friends old and new! Can't wait until 2026!'
Giving back!
This year we donated
>£10,000 to research!
Recognising and rewarding innovative research is at the heart of what we do.
Who will be recognised in 2026?
A HUGE "thank you" to the organisers of WORD+2025!
Absolutely thrilled to have been a part of WORD+2025!
It was an incredible experience and an opportunity to interact with the pioneers of Organoid and Organ-on-a-chip Research. It was great to have connected with the leading experts from academia and industry, and my peers of Organoid and Organ-on-a-chip research.
WORD+ is partnered with *'Advances in Stem Cell Innovation' by the Babraham Institute.
This follows WORD+ at 4:30pm-6:30pm, 5th Feb at Hinxton then continues at Babraham 6th Feb.
*Seperate Ticket needed
More about WORC.Community!
Established in 2022 our mission is bring Organoid, Organ-on-a-chip & NAM researchers together to advance discovery. Our free to join network has a global reach of >10,000 researchers and those interested in next generation techniques. With leading researcher talks, innovative technologies in an open community atmosphere, all are welcome. It's where great ideas are shared and new ones are born.
Networking WORD+ style! #Bettertogether
Join Professor
Steven Wilson & Friends for live Music & Welcome Drinks 4th February.
Research and music come together in a unique celebration. Not to be missed.
Event venue
Address
Hinxton Hall Conference Centre, Wellcome Genome Campus, CB10 1RQ.
Getting to the venue
Nearest airports, train and parking.
There will be free buses to and from venue both days from Whittlesford and Great Chesterford Train stations
Easy stay at the venue.
Enter code WORD2026 and select dates.
UK Organoid & Organ-on-a-Chip Society
Launching 3rd February 2026 (Before WORD+)
Tickets
3rd Feb: UK Organoid and Organ-on-a-chip Society
4th and 5th February: WORD+2026
Researchers: Last chance to save 50%!
Enter code: WORD2026bettertogether
Opportunities to join the WORC.COMMUNITY
From Organoids in space to cerebral systems on Earth..
Enjoy a sample of past WORD+ talks for a limited time!
Sponsorship Opportunities
