iL‒CURRENT
March 4, 2026
Ramsey Najm: “We Are at a Clear Transition Point”
Speakers at GENESIS 26 – The LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY include Dr. Ramsey Najm, Scientific Director of the Organoid Engineering Lab at Heidelberg University and core member of POEM. In his forward-looking presentation, "Taking organoid engineering to the next level: From connectivity analysis to integrated multi-organ systems," he will discuss the next stage of development in organoid research.
Organoids derived from human stem cells began as tools for researching fundamental developmental processes. Today, they are rapidly evolving into scalable experimental systems that can be used to study how complex biological networks arise, interact, and fail.
In his lecture, Najm explains how the integration of organoids with engineering, automation, and data-driven technologies is transforming them into platforms for systems biology—thus bridging the gap between basic research and translational applications. His message is clear: the future of human biology lies in combining biological complexity with technological precision.
Dr. Ramsey Najm and his research group want to move away from isolated experiments and toward systematic, quantitative science. Image: InnovationLab
Five Questions for ... Ramsey Najm
Mr. Najm, you work at POEM with highly complex cerebral organoids, single-cell transcriptomics, and barcoded tracing approaches. What are we learning today about neuronal networks that, until recently, were simply not accessible?
Ramsey Najm: My research focuses on directly linking neuronal identity, transcriptional state, and connectivity within human-derived neural networks. This allows us to study how specific cell types wire together, how networks self-organize over time, and how genetic perturbations reshape connectivity—questions that were previously inaccessible in humans. Within POEM, we aim to build more complex systems that better reflect higher-order organ function and enable richer, systems-level readouts of human biology.
Organoids are increasingly no longer understood solely as models of individual organs. Where do we currently stand in the transition from isolated organoids to assembloids and multi-organ systems?
Najm: We are at a clear transition point. Today, assembloids-groups of organoids that define multiple organs or different regions within the same organ are often simply placed in proximity and allowed to fuse. The field is now reaching a stage where expertise from disciplines such as materials science and engineering holds immense promise, enabling the construction of assembloid systems that more accurately capture complex inter-organ and inter-regional interactions. In short, the field is shifting from proof-of-concept systems toward reproducible, standardized, and increasingly sophisticated platforms.
Has been working with his team at the InnovationLab since August 2025: Dr. Ramsey Najm, pictured here at last year's LIFE SCIENCE TECH DAY. Photo: Lukas Adler
“Scaling Experimental Readouts”
POEM (Precision Organoid Engineering for Multi-Organ Interaction Studies) is a cross-disciplinary platform at Heidelberg University dedicated to developing scalable human organoid and assembloid systems through the integration of biology, engineering, automation, and computational analysis.
Najm: The greatest challenges lie in understanding the sources of variability in these complex models and in scaling experimental readouts accordingly. Much of the field has historically adopted two-dimensional methodologies and retrofitted them for three-dimensional systems. Moving forward, we need purpose-built bioengineering approaches that can control 3D tissue organization while enabling detailed, high-throughput measurements. Automation, materials science, engineering, and machine learning are particularly well suited to address these challenges.
Your research integrates biology, engineering, imaging, and data-driven approaches. How critical are integrated platforms for the next stage in the development of organoid research?
Najm: They are essential. We have reached a point where no single discipline can handle the complexity of these systems alone. At the same time, screening and genetic manipulation have scaled to a level where large experimental pipelines are now feasible. Integrated platforms allow us to culture, perturb, image, and analyze organoids within a continuous workflow - transforming organoid biology from isolated experiments into systematic, quantitative science.
Through your lightning talk at GENESIS 26 what impulses would you like to provide for the expert audience - what should participants take away from POEM and from your work?
Najm: That organoids are becoming a systems-biology technology. I hope participants leave with the sense that combining human-derived models with engineering and data-driven disciplines enables us to scale, control, and systematically interrogate biological complexity in ways that were not previously possible.
About the person
Dr. Ramsey Najm is Scientific Head of the Organoid Engineering Lab at Heidelberg University and a core member of POEM. His work focuses on human iPSC-derived organoids, neuronal network analysis, and scalable, data-driven tissue engineering platforms.
About POEM
POEM (Precision Organoid Engineering for Multi-Organ Interaction Studies) ist eine interdisziplinäre Plattform an der Universität Heidelberg, die sich der Entwicklung skalierbarer humaner Organoid- und Assembloid-Systeme durch die Integration von Biologie, Ingenieurwissenschaften, Automatisierung und computergestützter Analyse widmet.
by Joachim Klaehn.
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