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Hans Clevers to deliver 2024 Kafatos Lecture on pioneering organoid research
‘Human organ avatars’ to take centre stage at EMBL’s third annual Kafatos Lecture
By Tom Furnival-Adams, Alumni Relations Officer
On Friday 4 October 2024 at 18:00 CEST, the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) in Amsterdam will host the 2024 Kafatos Lecture, delivered by renowned scientist Hans Clevers.
The lecture, titled ‘Organoids: Avatars of Human Organs in Health and Disease’, will also be streamed online, making it accessible to a global audience in addition to those attending in person at the prestigious Dutch venue.
This annual event, free and open to the public, celebrates the legacy of Fotis Kafatos, a former EMBL Director General and the Founder and first President of the European Research Council (ERC).
Speaking this year, molecular geneticist, cell biologist, and stem cell researcher Hans Clevers will explore the groundbreaking work that has defined his career – the development of organoids. These miniature, lab-grown structures mimic human organs, offering unprecedented opportunities for studying human biology and disease. In his lecture, Clevers will delve into the revolutionary impact of organoids on medical research, particularly in drug testing and personalised medicine, where they serve as humane and accurate models of human tissue.
Clevers’s pioneering research began with the discovery of a method to grow intestinal stem cells outside the human body, leading to the creation of ‘mini-guts’. These organoids have since served as a powerful tool for researchers, allowing for safer and more ethical testing of new treatments. Clevers’s contributions have not only advanced academic understanding but also sparked significant commercial applications, with several successful spin-off companies emerging from his work.
Reflecting on his role as the speaker at this year’s Kafatos Lecture, Clevers said: “It is both a great honour and a pleasure to be invited as the speaker for EMBL’s esteemed Kafatos Lecture this year. Public lectures hold a special place in my heart, offering scientists like me an extraordinary opportunity to effectively communicate our research and scientific knowledge to a wider audience. My aspiration is to ignite curiosity and inspiration in young minds, propelling them towards a future in science.”
The Kafatos Lecture series, inaugurated in 2021, continues to bring groundbreaking and socially relevant life sciences research to the worldwide public, seeking especially to inspire young scientists and students.
This year’s lecture is once again generously supported by the Bodossaki Foundation and promises to provide an inspiring glimpse into the future of biomedicine.
Visit the event page to see the full programme and register now (simply indicate during the registration process whether you will attend in person or online).
Previous Kafatos Lectures from speakers Denis Duboule (2022) and Elena Conti (2023) are available on the EMBL Alumni YouTube channel.
