On Monday, May 26, 2025, at 4:30 p.m., the Keio Organoid Consortium, chaired by Professor Toshiro Sato, Keio University School of Medicine,  and in collaboration with WPI-Bio2Q, hosted a seminar featuring Dr. Hans Clevers at Kitasato Hall on the Keio University Shinanomachi Campus.

Hans Clevers
Advisor and guest researcher at the Organoid Group of the Hubrecht Institute.
Professor of the School of Medicine at Utrecht University
Keio University WPI-Bio2Q International Collaborator
Head of Pharma Research and Early Development at Roche in Basel, Switzerland and is a member of Roche’s Enlarged Executive Committee.

Dr. Clevers is internationally recognized for his pioneering work on stem cells, Wnt signaling, and organoid technology.
1.  Wnt Signaling and TCF Proteins: Dr. Clevers identified TCF as a nuclear effector in the canonical Wnt pathway, which is crucial for understanding cell fate in tissue development and cancer.
2. Discovery of Lgr5 Stem Cells: He discovered Lgr5 as a marker for adult stem cells in various tissues, enabling the identification and study of these cells in vivo.
3. Organoid Technology: Dr. Clevers and his team developed methods to grow “organoids” — miniature, simplified versions of organs — from Lgr5-positive stem cells. These organoids closely mimic the structure and function of real tissues, thereby revolutionizing disease modeling, drug testing, and personalized medicine research.
4. Clinical and Pharmaceutical Impact: Organoids are now used to test drug responses in patient-derived tissues, offering a path toward personalized medicine and reducing reliance on animal testing.

Dr. Clevers stands out as a leading figure in molecular biology and regenerative medicine, with landmark discoveries that have reshaped the fields of stem cell research, cancer biology, and personalized medicine.