Over the past decade, organoid research has boomed and revolutionized biomedicine, with wide industrial applications and regulatory recognition. However, comprehensive reviews on organoid-related regulations and IND-approved drugs remain insufficient. This article reviews relevant advances in regulations and IND applications, and discusses the prospects and limitations of organoid models.

A recent mouse model based study suggests that blocking TGF-β may improve osteoporosis treatment by helping quiescent osteoblasts in inactive bone surfaces return to an active state. Using spatial transcriptomics, single-cell analysis, and functional experiments, researchers identified TGF-β signaling as a regulator of osteoblast activation. In a bone-loss mouse model, dual inhibition of TGF-β and sclerostin increased bone mass more effectively than sclerostin inhibition alone, highlighting a promising combination strategy.

To better understand the effectiveness of infertility treatment, it is necessary to study the processes that occur during the first week of embryonic development. At this stage, the embryo begins to follow guidelines encoded within its own genome rather than primarily relying on gene products received from the mother.

Metamorphosis, that profound transformation enabling certain animals to shift between habitats such as from an aquatic to a terrestrial environment, is generally viewed in terms of its benefits. A team of researchers from the University of Liège has now demonstrated that it also entails a direct and immediate cost for the individuals undergoing it, a cost that varies by sex and could influence long-term evolutionary trade-offs

Engineered microorganisms are widely used in industrial biotechnology and biopharmaceutical applications, including the production of biofuels, sustainable chemicals, and therapeutic compounds. However, concerns remain regarding the unintended environmental release and uncontrolled proliferation of genetically engineered microbes. For this reason, biocontainment technologies, which are designed to prevent microorganisms from surviving outside controlled environments, have become increasingly important in both academia and industry.

Pompeu Fabra University has conferred the title of Doctor Honoris Causa on Helga Nowotny and Maria Leptin. Key figures in the consolidation of a European research model, they jointly received the highest academic distinction awarded by the University. According to the rector of UPF, Laia de Nadal, who presided over the ceremony, “Leptin and Nowotny’s work reminds us that there is no world without science and no science without the world.” Helga Nowotny, a sociologist, was the first woman to serve as president of the European Research Council (ERC). Leptin, a biologist, is the institution’s current president.

Now in its 28th year, the European Congress of Endocrinology (ECE) 2026 commences on Saturday 9 May and runs until Tuesday 12 May. The Congress will bring together endocrine specialists from across Europe and the rest of the world to meet, collaborate and celebrate endocrinology at the Prague Congress Centre in Prague, Czech Republic. This year’s Congress will also celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) since the formation of the Society in 2006.