Objective
Patient-specific organoids derived from induced pluripotent stem cells are transforming disease modelling, drug discovery and precision medicine. However, their widespread adoption remains limited because organoid production is slow, expensive and highly dependent on manual expertise. Current workflows require multiple disconnected steps - cellular reprogramming, stem cell expansion and organoid differentiation - performed across different laboratories over several months, resulting in poor reproducibility and limited scalability.
FAR-O proposes a new paradigm for organoid production by integrating cellular reprogramming and organoid formation into a single automated pipeline. The innovation builds on discoveries from the ERC Advanced Grant REPROIDS, which revealed a transient nascent pluripotent state during cellular reprogramming that allows patient fibroblasts to transition directly into organoid development without prolonged stem cell expansion. This biological shortcut restructures the workflow, enabling reprogramming and early organoid formation to occur as a continuous programmable process within a microfluidic system. By combining this biology with robotic liquid handling and automated culture systems, FAR-O will establish the first end-to-end automated platform converting patient cells directly into organoids.
The Proof of Concept will deliver a prototype automated platform integrating microfluidic reprogramming, robotic liquid handling and standardised three-dimensional organoid culture, demonstrating faster, reproducible and scalable generation of patient-specific organoids.
The project will also define a pathway toward industrial deployment. The platform is developed in collaboration with a global leader in laboratory automation. In parallel, the venture capital fund has expressed interest in following the technological validation of the platform and evaluating future investment opportunities for scale-up. If validated, FAR-O could enable the first scalable production of patient-derived organoids compatible with pharmaceutical screening and large-cohort disease modelling.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences basic medicine pharmacology and pharmacy drug discovery
- social sciences sociology industrial relations automation
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies stem cells
- medical and health sciences health sciences personalized medicine
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2026-POC
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
35129 Padova
Italy
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.