In “Follow-up: Interview with Prof. Dr. Jens Kurreck,” Jens Kurreck presents his field of research, provides insights into his personal motivation and creative resources, and concludes with tips for young colleagues.
Prof. Kurreck emphasizes that a transformation of biomedical research is necessary in order to achieve greater transferability of basic research to human (patho)physiology. Currently, 90% of all drug candidates that were successful in preclinical research in animal models fail in human trials. He emphasizes: “With modern human-based cell culture models (organoids, stem cell models, 3D printed tissues, multi-organ chips), we now have the opportunity to conduct human-relevant research. And at the same time, we are contributing to the ethically imperative goal of reducing the number of animal experiments. It's fantastic to be part of this transformation phase.”
Prof. Kurreck cites the diversity of potential applications in bioprinting as the highlight of the research results of the last five years, which has led to numerous innovations in his research group:
- a lung model consisting of four cell types in three layers, cultivated at an air-liquid interface (ALI), which can produce mucus and could be infected with influenza and coronaviruses
- a cancer model with a human tumor spheroid in an environment of human cells, permeated by vascular, endothelialized channels, perfused via a micropump, and used to test the efficacy and side effects of active substances
- a liver model consisting of four cell types to test the hepatotoxicity of drug candidates, with a predictive power of 90%, which exceeds that of animal experiments.
The special feature of the liver model is that it is “xenofree,” i.e., it does not require any animal materials such as fetal calf serum and Matrigel.
The rest of this highly readable interview focuses on music as a personal creative resource, finding ideas through free-flowing thoughts, and “being passionate about your own research project.” Jens Kurreck's advice to his young colleagues is: "I recommend asking yourself honestly: Do I see scientific work as a rewarding part of my life or just a burdensome necessity? If the answer is yes, then you should definitely embark on this adventure."
Click here for the full Interview (in German language).
The article by Dongwei Wu and Jens Kurreck can be found in the 07/2025 issue of BIOspektrum: „3D-Biodruck perfundierbarer Krebsmodelle (German only)“