Human skin models are essential for studying barrier biology, dermatoxicology, and responses to environmental stressors, but many existing in vitro systems require trade-offs between physiological relevance, workflow complexity, and scalability. This webinar will highlight a 96-well compatible, primary cell-based 3D human skin organoid platform designed to support more practical and screening-oriented skin research.
In collaboration with Entropic, during this webinar we will introduce a self-organizing 3D skin organoid model generated by co-seeding adult normal human epidermal keratinocytes and adult normal human dermal fibroblasts directly into the ZYRALIX™ platform coated plates using a mixed-medium workflow. The resulting organoids assemble into compact structures, developing bilayer epidermal-dermal organization within days, and continue to mature over a 21-day culture period.
Attendees will learn how this model demonstrates key features relevant to human skin biology, including structural maturation, barrier-associated function, long-term viability, and dose-dependent responses to ultraviolet injury. The session will also discuss how a scalable 96-well format may help bridge the gap between conventional 2D culture and more complex advanced skin models, enabling earlier-stage screening, mechanistic studies, and environmental insult testing in a more physiologically relevant in vitro system.
Key learning objectives:
- Understand the process of rapidly generating human 3D skin organoids using ZRYALIX™ technology.
- Learn how to functionally characterize advanced skin models, focusing on barrier formation and structural maturation.
- Explore methods for assessing UV and chemical injury responses in physiologically relevant 3D human skin organoids.
Featuring Insights from
Koh Meng Aw Yong
,
PhD
Koh Meng Aw Yong, PhD, is Senior Market Development Manager at Lonza, where he focuses on the primary cells portfolio, including PBMCs, CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells, hepatocytes, skin, airway, and other cell systems that support drug discovery and translational research. With a background spanning oncology, immunology, cell and gene therapy, and preclinical research solutions, he brings experience across product management, strategic marketing, and scientific innovation. Koh Meng is passionate about helping researchers adopt more predictive biological models and enabling better decision-making across the discovery pipeline.
Amir Nasajpour
,
PhD
Amir Nasajpour is the Founder and CEO of Entropic Biosciences, a UCLA spinout advancing next-generation new approach methodologies (NAMs) for preclinical testing. Amir earned his PhD in Chemistry and Biochemistry from UCLA in Prof. Weiss's lab, with a focus on materials chemistry, where he pioneered the biomaterials research that became the foundation of ZYRALIX™. His work has been recognized nationally, including as the 2023 National Inventors Hall of Fame Collegiate Inventors Competition Graduate Runner-Up.
Under his leadership, Entropic Biosciences was selected for the BioTools Innovator 2023 Cohort, received the BARDA VANGUARD 2025 Development Award, and joined the inaugural UCLA TDG Bruin Founders Cohort. The company has secured two U.S. utility patents for its core technology and is accelerating the adoption of predictive, human-relevant testing platforms across the life sciences, pharmaceutical, and consumer products industries.
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