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WORD+2027 is our 5th anniversary!

'Global Innovation & Standardisation in Action' 

Community. Connections. Collaboration

Academia » Pharma » Industry » Technologies

Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, UK 

♦

>40 Leading Research Organoid 

Organ-on-a-chip & NAM speakers for

The Latest Research Innovations &

The Challenges being addressed

♦

Keynote: Professor Hans Clevers

& recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award

Highlighted speakers & past speaker kind words below

♦

Plus 30 technology solutions highlight how they 

are already helping to advance research

& standardisation approaches



🧪Always price supported for Researchers. Early Bird Tickets » »
💡Sponsorship & Innovative Technology enquiries
WORD+
 
Joining WORD+ for:
Community. Connections. Collaboration
Join >500 attendees from early discovery to clinical application.
Academia » Pharma » Industry » Technologies 
♦
'Energising cutting edge organoid and organ-on-a-chip science
 from across the globe. It is truly one that feels 
most connected out of many other conferences'
AstraZeneca & GSK, Sweden & UK.
♦
'I'm really glad I could connect with researchers involved
in tackling so many issues in medicine from across the world. 
The friendliness & outstanding organization was second-to-none' 
 Southampton University UK & 
Comprehensive Cancer Center François Baclesse, France

                                                           With kind permission background image: Cartilage spheroids using Qkine animal origin-free TGF-β1 (Qk010). Image by Oliver Gardiner, Valerina Davydenko, UCL.  WORD+ attendees shown: Sasha Berdichevski Jo Bird, Aljona Kolmogorova,                                                             


'Thank you so much for such a fantastic meeting!
Reconnecting with friends, meeting new collaborators, 
and exchanging ideas that push our field forward. 
The energy, openness and science really make it special' 
International Microphysiological Society (IMPSS) Chairs.
♦
I echo everyone’s sentiments about the wonderful, friendly atmosphere that defines WORD+ conferences. You did a fantastic job as always, and it was a pleasure to be part of it!' 
EUROoCS Chair.
♦
Did you know we have donated over £30,000 (€35,000/$40,000)
 back into research since our first event?

'I can't thank Miles and WORD+ enough, with their £10,000.00 grant investment help we were able to to advance our studies with organoids in modelling the Tumour-Adipose Micro Environment' 
Loughborough University, UK.

WORD+2027 Main Sponsor

Look out for the HUB ORGANOIDS 

Onsite workflow laboratory! 


WORD+2027 News Partner

WORD+2027 Media Partner

WORD+2027 Publishing Partner

🌎Highlighted Speakers & Chairs include below.

Day summary highlights, full agenda out soon:

24th February: Lifetime Achievement Award Prof Hans Clevers. 
Key talks and discussion: Organoids & Organ-on-a-chips for drug discovery. Academic Research across multiple models and diseases, including a special EUROoCS session. Pharma partnerships in action (part 1) details projects and initiatives benefitting from collaboration to advance discovery faster. 
Day closes with the 🥂5th Anniversary Party & chance to connect and unwind.
 
25th February
Neural connection from culture, integrated methods & emergence of organoid & Bio intelligence. Discover where computational tools & Ai adoption are making advances. Infectious disease modelling session includes the mechanisms of infection with the development of new therapeutic strategies, regeneration and PDOs. Pharma partnerships in action part 2 and working with vascularized organoids-on-chip and human assembloid models. Academic Research across multiple models and diseases. Day closes with 🧫Key Note Posters & Fluorescence Friday Awards.

26th February 
Roadmaps and replacement strategies in action.
North America, UK, European & APAC bodies & researchers provide examples of research in practice addressing the challenges of standardisation and implementation across multiple models and diseases. Expect great discussion and insights from technology solutions too. 🏆Event closes with lunch & Award Ceremony for most Innovative: Speaker, Poster, Technology as voted for by attendees.


Professor 

Peter Loskill


University of Tübingen & 

3R-Center Tübingen


Speaker 

and Chair

26th Feb


Successfully engineering multiple organ-on-a-chip platforms and leader in 3Rs research.



Professor 

Shafagh Waters


University New South Wales & NAT Network


Head of the Regeneration and Stem Cell Translational Research Laboratory.   Developing human stem cell and organoid systems that allow direct investigation of disease biology and therapeutic response in human tissue.

Professor

Hans Clevers


Keynote & Lifetime Achievement Award

24th Feb


Prof Hans Clevers' pioneering organoid research continues to transform cancer research, drug testing & personalised medicine world wide.

Professor 

Dasja Pajkrt


 UMC Amsterdam

 & OrganoVir


Leads OrganoVIR Labs, where clinicians, virologists and tissue engineers work together to culture viruses and develop innovative animal-free models (including organ-on-a-chips & organoids) for virus research.


Associate Professor 

Antonella Dost


University of Copenhagen, Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Stem Cell Medicine. 


Lung regeneration and disease. Aims to uncover mechanisms underlying lung regeneration and lung disease using advanced human lung organoid models.

 



Professor 

Thomas Hartung


CAAT & Johns Hopkins


Speaker 

and Chair

25th Feb


'Neural connection from culture, integrated methods & emergence of organoid & Bio intelligence. Discover where computational tools & Ai adoption are making advances'.


Professor

Alex (Alejandro) Frangi 


University of Manchester


Medical image analysis & modelling with an emphasis on machine learning and computational physiology.

In silico clinical trials.



Assistant Professor 

Sarah Spitz


University 

of Wien


Engineering the blood–brain barrier on chip: advances in preclinical drug penetration and disease modelling. 
Patenting a new microfluidic device for brain organoids.

Professor

Krzysztof 

Pyrć


Jagiellonian University​


Virogenetics, 3D human tissue models, Organ-on-a-chips for mechanisms of infection and the development of new therapeutic strategies.


Associate

Professor

Livia Santos


University

 of Nottingham


Innovative muscle, heart tissue and bone models (tissue on a chip & organ-on-a-chip)  to better understand tissue regeneration, ageing and exercise

Assistant

Professor

Riccardo Barrile


University of Cincinnati


Microphysiological modelling of glioblastoma for Precision Medicine and Ex vivo focused ultrasound-enabled drug delivery in a bioprinted microphysiological model of glioblastoma.

Associate

Professor

Fiona Freeman


University 

College Dublin


Mechanobiology, biomaterial design, 3D printing and developing in vitro and in vivo disease models for 

paediatric bone cancer.

Professor

Amir 
Ghaemmaghami


University of Nottingham


MIMIC: An interconnected multiorgan platform to recreate the complex pathophysiology of the metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)

Professor 

Maurice Whelan


European Commission 

Joint Research Centre 


Researchers addressing  

EU Roadmap challenges

Deputy Director for Health & Food. Head of Systems Toxicology Unit and the EU Reference Lab for alternatives to animal testing (EURL ECVAM)

Dr

Emily Tubbs


University Grenoble Alpes, CEA, INSERM


How to supply blood and nutrients to lab-grown organs. Emily will share more on how human assembloids of human blood vessel organoids and vascularized organoids-on-chip for assessing systemic drug delivery.


Dr

Lei Huan


Max Planck Institute 
Prof Meri Huch lab.

Complex organ models inc Liver & developments needed in  invitro & insilico. The laboratory is well known for creating the first ever long-term expandable liver and pancreas organoids.


Dr

Rhiannon

David


AstraZeneca


Joined by colleagues to present  AstraZeneca

Partnerships in action 


Senior Director, Head of Advanced Cell Models, Safety Sciences.

Professor

Katja 

Gehmlich


University of Birmingham


Molecular Cardiology.

Generation of a human iPSC-derived cardiomyocyte & fibroblast engineered heart tissue models.



Dr

Lisa

Mohamet


GSK


Joined by colleagues to present GSK Partnerships in action 


Global head of translational in vitro models and GSK Fellow.  

Dr

Jasmeet 

Reyat


University 

of Oxford 


Mechanisms that drive fibrosis and inflammation using human organoid platforms that capture the complexity of immune responses within and across tissues and diseases.

Dr 

Jenny 

Sandström


Swiss 3R Competence Centre


Swiss researchers addressing replacement challenges.

Driving 3RS advancement and better science in Switzerland.


Dr

Margaret Ochocinska


Program Director

 NIH, USA


NIH Researchers 

Addressing  

Roadmap challenges


Session Chair

Dr

Louis

Bastien Weiswald


Comprehensive Cancer Center François Baclesse



Dr 

Cathy Vickers


NC3RS


UK Researchers addressing  

UK Roadmap challenges


Cathy leads the CRACK IT Challenges programme and is Head of Innovation

Session Chair


Dr

Pelin

Candarlioglu 


EUROoCS 

Showcase


Three of the regions leading researchers share their latest innovative work.

»Early 

Career 

Professional


Marius Harter

Institute Human Biology

Roche


High-throughput histopathology for complex in vitro models & Organoids as models of immune-organ interaction.



WORD+2027 

Co-Host


Dr

Mhairi 

Morris


Loughborough 

University


Understanding the interactions between cancer cells and stromal cells in the tumour microenvironment, and how exercise may impinge on these interactions.



»Early 

Career 

Professional


XiangLu Xiao


Imperial London


AI-Empowered Organoid Platforms and computational approaches. 


Discussion Chair


Professor

Marianna

Kruithof-de Julio


University Bern &

 OnconiX AG


Director Organoid Core & Head of The Urological Research laboratory. CSO OnconiX

LUSH Prize Winner


Dr

Adam 

Fellows


Royal Veterinary College


Engineered Pulmonary Artery Tissues. Lab-grown replicas of human blood vessels that can mimic how real arteries behave & pulmonary hypertension


WORD+2027 

Poster Abstract team


Dr

Elvira

Weber


University 

Dusseldorf




WORD+2027 

Co-Host


Dr

Tamas

Korcsmaros


Imperial 

Organoid Facility

WORD+2027 

Poster Abstract team


Professor

Johanna 

Bolander


Charité 

Universitätsmedizin 

Berlin


WORD+2027 

Co-Host


Dr

Stefaan

Verbruggen


Queen Mary University 

London




Present a poster & podium talks «Apply now»

Over 100 selected each year & 30 will be chosen to give an oral presentation.
Talks are 10 minutes each in the dedicated poster presentation rooms.
Award for best poster as voted for by attendees. 

We sell out each year, please purchase your ticket* first & receive submission link.
*Including 🎞️ FREE Early Career Researcher tickets

 
🚨Early Bird Tickets for Auditorium «Apply now»

Always price supported for Researchers
Affordable access, valuable connections made possible
🎞️ +FREE Early Career Researcher tickets.

Increased seating for more connections than ever before!
#Better together Visit our free network WORC.Community >14,000 visitors each month.     


WORD+2027 #Fluorescence Friday Competition

FREE Entry: Up to 20 images will be chosen for display in the WORD+2027 Art Gallery. 
Each of the 20 finalists receives a complimentary WORD+2027 Cinema attendance ticket (if they do not already hold a WORD+2027 ticket). Award for best image out of the 20 as voted for by attendees! 
Further selection of entries will appear in an online digital showcase. 
Entries close 15th January 2027. Winners announced 1st February 2027.

 Image: Human kidney organoids presented at WORD+ 2026 by Liisa Vilén, AstraZeneca. 
Thank you and credit to Susanna Larsson, Anette Persson-Kry, and Syam Nair, AstraZeneca.
 

ENTER WORD+2027 #Fluorescence Friday Competition

Special WORD+ Evenings and WORD+ Awards (lunch time 26th)

23rd February

Community. Connections.Collaboration



Speaker Social!

Limited number of 
non-speaker tickets available


7pm- 9.30pm

Bar open thereafter

Main Hall

24th February

Community. Connections.Collaboration


🥂

5th Anniversary Party!

Fizz, Food & Fun

Included in your ticket.


6:30pm-8.30pm

Bar open thereafter


Exhibition Arena

Take the Technology Challenge


25th February

Community. Connections. Collaboration


Key Note Posters
& Fluorescence Friday Awards


Drinks and Nibbles

Included in your ticket.


6:00pm-8.00pm

Bar open thereafter


Exhibition Arena

Gallery winners revealed
Presentations made


26th February

Community. Connections. Collaboration


🏆

Award Ceremony  

Most Innovative: Speaker 
Poster & Technology.


Lunch and drinks

Included in your ticket.


1:30pm-2:30pm

Free Coaches leave 2:30pm


WORD+

Training & Tools

Tickets soon

23rd February. 10am-4pm


 Imperial College London

Queen Mary University London University of Loughborough University of Bern and partners share their expertise and insight.


For all bench scientists & 

Early career researchers.


Techniques, technologies, 

 analysis & presentation skills.

Refresh & boost your knowledge.


#Bettertogether

🌎5th Annual WORD+ 2027

Global Innovation & standardisation in action

Community. Connections. Collaboration


24th to 26th February

Agenda soon


 Global Researchers share their latest research, application & outcome. 

Experience innovation in discovery across multiple disease & organ types. 

Engage in meaningful and inspiring discussion.


Discover how and where new technologies are advancing research

& where they are addressing the challenges ahead.


Build new lasting connections & be inspired!

Community. Connections. Collaboration

#Bettertogether


Always price supported for Researchers: Early Bird Tickets out now!
Sponsorship & Innovative Technology enquiries

Giving back!

Community. Connections. Collaboration


WORD+ Attendees vote for:


Most Inspirational Speaker & Research

Best Poster & Presentation

Most innovative Technology


2026's winners were:

    Prof Marianna Kruithof-de Julio, University of Bern.
    Dr Hamed Ghazizade, Curi Bio.
    Dr Scott Cribbes, REVVITY.

Community. Connections. Collaboration


Did you know?...

Since our first event in 2022:


Welcomed over 100 Researcher speakers.

Donated circa £30,000 back into research.


Many WORD+ made connections 

now publish and partner together!


← Look back at WORD+

« Rewind..Just some of the kind comments from WORD+2026!

International MPS Society Chair and Speaker

Dr Magdalena Kasendra

Center for Stem Cell and Organoid Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. 


'Reconnecting with friends, meeting new collaborators, and exchanging ideas that push our field forward.

It was an absolute pleasure - and great fun -to be part of it. Thank you so much for the invitation and for pulling together such a fantastic meeting. The energy, openness, and science really did make it special'. 

Showcase Speaker. 

Dr. Benjamin P. Sharpe  

Southampton University. U.K


'It was an absolute pleasure to be invited and I'm really glad I could connect with researchers involved in tackling so many issues in medicine, from across the world. The friendliness and weIcome was second-to-none and I hope I see many of you back here next year to catch up!' 

Session Chair and Speaker

Dr Rhiannon David.  

Senior Director, Head of Advanced Cell Models, Safety Sciences. AstraZeneca, UK


'WORD+2026 was an energising showcase of cutting edge organoid and organ-on-a-chip science from across the globe. There were so many great ideas, the hardest part will be deciding on what to focus on first!  A fantastic few days. Looking forward to the next one already!'

EUROoCs Session Chair and Speaker 
Dr Pelin Candarlioglu Deacon
EUROoCS Chair of Industry Advisory Board &Founder and Director 3D and 3RS.


'I echo everyone’s sentiments about the wonderful, friendly atmosphere that defines WORD+ conferences. 

You did a fantastic job as always, and it was a pleasure to be part of it!' 

Scandinavian Showcase Chair and Speaker: 

Professor Steven Ray Wilson. 

University of Oslo.


'Thank you so much for a wonderful event, with such excellence science and a friendly atmosphere! 

Looking forward to seeing you again'.    

Showcase Speaker. 
Dr Helena Rannikmae.
Complex In Vitro Models, GSK. UK

'Thank you so much for another wonderful conference – it is truly one that feels most connected out of many other conferences. 
Thank you again for the opportunity to present GSK’s work'.

Attendee.
Technology Talk 
Dr Jonathan Sheard

'WORD+2026 provided a powerful platform for a community of researchers to see the true value of their work and the impact it is having on research. This conference has also brought together a whole range of fantastic technology and service providers. I think we all agree that it was a very successful event and we look forward to joining again in 2027

Showcase Speaker 
Dr. Louis-Bastien Weiswald. 
Comprehensive Cancer Center François Baclesse, France

'Many thanks to you for the warm welcome and for the outstanding organization of this conference. 
It was truly a great meeting, stimulating science and open discussions'. 

Germany Showcase Speaker
Jun Professor Hannes Beyer. 
University of Düsseldorf. Germany.

'Thank you again for the wonderful meeting. I really enjoyed it'.

Scandinavia Showcase Speaker 
Dr Liisa Vilén. 
Director of Microphysiological Systems. AstraZeneca, Sweden.

'It was a privilege to be part of the Scandinavia Showcase session at  WORD+ 2026 and share insights into our CVRM in vitro models at AstraZeneca. 
A big thank you to Miles Rackliff for organizing such an outstanding meeting and creating a great platform for collaboration'. 

Italy Showcase Speaker

Professor Giovanni Tonon.  

San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Milan, Italy 


'Many many thanks for the impeccable organisation and the sheer pleasure of meeting so many wonderful people and scientists. 
All the best for 2027!'

Showcase Speaker
Dr Adriana Buskin. 
Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer. U.K

'Thank you for the opportunity to present our research!  It was a pleasure and so great to meet in person'.

International MPS Society Key Note Speaker

Assistant Professor Lena Smirnova.

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, USA.


'Excellent event and I had an excellent time-Thankyou!!'


Showcase Speaker and Award Winner 

Dr Mhairi Morris. 

Loughborough University. U.K


As ever, it has been an absolute JOY. Coming home from WORD+ 2026, I am feeling equal parts inspired, grateful and slightly hoarse from all the laughing! This week had everything!

UK Showcase Speaker

Dr. Pablo F. Céspedes. 

University of Oxford. U.K


Thank you so much for organising such a fantastic meeting. I second all the comments — and I can’t wait for the 2027 edition! A unique opportunity to be exposed to many truly inspiring presentations and to get a sense of what feels most urgent and where the field is heading. It was also a great chance to meet potential future collaborators and to start thinking about possible joint grant opportunities!  

Netherlands Showcase Speaker 

Dr Petra de Graaf 

UMC Utrecht. Netherlands.


'It was amazing! It is great to be part of this community. I am still buzzing!'

Meeting Partner

Babraham Institute

Frontiers in Stem Cell Innovation conference


Thank you for so kindly allowing the Frontiers in Stem Cell Innovation conference to join the excellent WORD+ 2026 event. The organisation was fantastic, great speakers and the overall positive feel of the conference participants was notable.  Our attending Babraham Institute researchers found it truly inspiring and informative and loved the conference song too -Better Together!'


'WORD+26 has been incredible—an inspiring platform filled with innovative ideas, 

impactful discussions and insights driving the future of exploratory toxicology'. 

Sponsor and Attendee

Dr Miriam Foster.

Sartorius, Germany.


'I’m really looking forward to being back at WORD+2027 and connecting with customers. Events like this are such a powerful space for collaboration. I’m keen to hear how everyone is using advanced models in real projects, as well as the latest in NAM research! 



'WORD+ events are the highlight of the conference year!'   

Sponsor and Attendee

Dr Kate Harper

REVVITY, UK


'It's the best event to attend, well thought out, really insightful research and joy to be part of' 

Event venue, travel and accomodation

WORD+ Venue

Hinxton Hall 

Conference Centre 


Wellcome Genome Campus, 

Cambridge, CB10 1RQ.


+44 (0)1223 495000 or

 conference.reception@hinxtonhall.org.

Speedy Book Onsite Accommodation here


Use code: WORD2027 

or contact venue directly.


+44 (0)1223 495000 or conference.reception@hinxtonhall.org

WORD+ 

Running Club

2.5k or 5k (you choose)


Start the day with 

Prof Johanna Bolander


7am outside conference entrance.

24th & 26th February


Free local travel to and from WORD+2027 

MORE buses, more local stations, more choice and FREE!

Free return journeys from the following:


NEW Cambridge South Train station at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.

NEW Babraham Research Campus & Great Chesterford Train Station, Main road by Duxford Lodge Hotel 

Holiday Inn Express Cambridge Duxford (B & B Hotel Cambridge South) Red Lion Hotel side Whittlesford train station (connect to Cambridge). Red Lion Hotel side Whittlesford train station (connect to Cambridge). Hinxton Hall Conference centre (the venue).

    Early Bird Tickets!
    Sponsorship enquiries


    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.