How 3D Organoids Are Shaping the Future of Neuro Drug Discovery
The search for more predictive, human-relevant models in neuroscience R&D has accelerated the adoption of 3D cell culture systems and brain organoids in early discovery. These advanced in vitro models offer new opportunities to evaluate disease mechanisms, screen compounds, and generate translational insights earlier in CNS drug development.
Join Tina Löffler, Head of In Vitro Research, and Mirjam Pennauer, Research Associate in Organoid Development & Cell Culture, for "How 3D Organoids Are Shaping the Future of Neuro Drug Discovery" on June 25, 2025 | 3:00 PM CEST (9:00 AM EDT). Registrants will receive access to the on-demand recording.
This webinar explores the emergence and practical use of neural organoids and other advanced 3D brain models in CNS discovery pipelines. From neurospheres to regionally guided and cerebral organoids, we’ll examine how different 3D models are developed, what makes them distinct, and how discovery teams are applying them to enhance experimental systems by providing additional human-relevant complexity for target validation, disease modeling, and mechanism-of-action studies alongside traditional approaches.
Key Learning Objectives
- Understand the diverse strategies used to engineer advanced 3D neuronal models and neural organoids, to reflect various levels of structural and cellular complexity.
- Compare the strengths and limitations of different 3D modelling approaches, from spheroids to organoids, for use in discovery-stage CNS programs.
- Discover how organoid platforms are driving earlier insights, translational alignment, and better decision-making in CNS discovery.
Meet The Presenters
Dr. Tina Löffler is Head of In Vitro Research at Scantox Neuro, where she leads the development of advanced in vitro models that support early-stage neuroscience discovery. With over 15 years of experience in neuropharmacology, she has helped drive earlier insights into disease mechanisms, target validation, and biomarker responses to accelerate therapeutic development in neurodegenerative and lysosomal storage disorders.
Dr. Löffler holds a Magister in Biochemistry from the University of Graz and a PhD in Neurosciences from the Medical University of Graz. Her expertise spans translational model design and mechanistic in vitro systems, supporting biotech and pharma teams with practical, human-relevant tools for CNS drug discovery.
Dr. Mirjam Pennaeur is Research Associate in Organoid Development & Cell Culture at Scantox Neuro, where she supports the advancement of 3D neural models for early-stage neuroscience discovery. Her work focuses on developing and optimizing organoid platforms to generate translational, human-relevant insights for CNS drug development.
Dr. Pennauer’s expertise spans stem cell biology, differentiation protocols, and advanced 3D culture systems—helping biotech and pharmaceutical teams harness cutting-edge in vitro tools for disease modeling and mechanism-of-action studies. She holds a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Basel, Biozentrum, and both an MSc and BSc in Molecular Biology from Technische Universität Graz.