Featured on the March 12, 2025 cover of EMBO Molecular Medicine, this recent publication, by Maximilian Moll and Prof. Dr. Dirk Baumjohann of the Medical Clinic III for Oncology, Hematology, Immuno-Oncology and Rheumatology at University Hospital Bonn titled, “Boosting human immunology: harnessing the potential of immune organoids” highlights scientific advances in human tissue-derived immune organoids and their capability to replicate complex immune cell dynamics ex vivo.
Recently, we had the chance to interview Maximilian Moll and Dr. Baumjohann about their publication. The lightly edited version of this interview is below.
What was the key question you addressed with this paper, and what led you to ask it?
This review aims to highlight recent scientific advances in human tissue-derived immune organoids and their capability to replicate complex immune cell dynamics ex vivo. This human-first approach offers unique possibilities for drug screening, vaccine development and testing, and high-resolution analysis of immune cell interactions. Moreover, it allows for the development of personalized medicine for treating cancer and autoimmunity.
How did the initial idea and/or observation lead to the major discovery?
Tonsil-derived immune organoids were originally developed in the 1990’s by HIV researchers to investigate infection dynamics and test anti-retroviral compounds. This model contributed to the development of effective therapeutics that have since become critical in HIV treatment.
Which of your findings was the most unexpected and/or exciting to you?
To be able to recapitulate aspects of germinal center reactions from human lymphoid-tissue in an ex vivo setting. Further, that the system can be easily adjusted to be scaled up for high-throughput approaches, offering a cost-efficient human tissue-based setup.
If people take away only three things from this paper, what do you want them to be?
- Immune organoids replicate complex immune cell dynamics in a human-first approach.
- The high versatility of the system allows for manipulation of distinct immune cell populations, gene editing, infection and activation assays.
- Can be performed using cryopreserved samples, allowing for increased scalability and reproducibility.
Why is this discovery of particular significance or interest to the ICIS community?
Tonsil-derived immune organoids offer a robust ex vivo platform to study human cytokine-driven immune responses within a tissue-like context. They mimic the complex cellular micro-environment of secondary lymphoid organs, allowing for the investigation of cytokine signaling, T-B cell interactions, and germinal center dynamics. Lastly, this system bridges the gap between in vitro assays and in vivo studies, facilitating translational research in infection, autoimmunity, and immunotherapy.
Citation of the article: Moll M, Baumjohann D. Boosting human immunology: harnessing the potential of immune organoids. EMBO Mol Med. 2025 Mar;17(3):385-394. doi: 10.1038/s44321-025-00193-8.
Link (open access): https://www.embopress.org/doi/full/10.1038/s44321-025-00193-8
