Heart failure affects more than 64 million people globally, making it one of the world’s greatest health challenges. Researchers at the Technion-affiliated Rambam Health Care Campus – Hospital are working to mitigate the prevalence of this disease. The hospital’s Heart Failure Unit, led by director and Technion alumnus Dr. Oren Caspi, has found a way to test different treatments using organoids, or small cardiac organs.
The team produces the organoids by transforming stem cells into heart cells and other cells that support the heart’s tissues. They then use robotic systems to test medical treatments on the organoids to analyze which regimen works best. Their ultimate goal is to produce an accessible organoid that makes it possible to personalize treatments for each patient, reducing the incidence of heart failure, and giving patients a higher quality of life.