Developing a Complex ex Vivo Endometrial Tissue Model to Improve Endometriosis Care

Viability of all the cells forming the complex endometrial tissue generated ex vivo by tissue bioengineering.

Endometriosis is a chronic gynaecological disease characterised by the growth of endometrium
 outside the uterus. It affects 10% of childbearing age women.
 
 There is no cure for endometriosis. Hormonal treatments should be the first line therapy. The
 benefit-risk ratio of symptomatic treatment with hormone therapy varies greatly from one
 woman to another. The pathophysiology of endometriosis and the mechanisms of action of these
 treatments are still poorly understood. This may be due to the lack of an optimal
 experimental model for studying the disease.
 
 The aim of this project is to develop a complex ex vivo endometrial model recapitulating the
 organisation and properties of the human endometrium using innovative tissue bioengineering
 methods. This model will make it possible to develop a pre-clinical approach that predicts
 individual response to different types of hormonal treatment in order to optimise therapeutic
 choices and provide a better understanding of the effects of these treatments.