Scientists have created mini-organs from bats to study the next pandemic before it happens, potentially saving millions of lives from viruses like the one that caused COVID-19.
Key Takeaways
- Researchers at the Institute for Basic Science in Korea have developed the world’s largest bat organoid platform to study dangerous viruses that could cause future pandemics
- The platform includes mini-organs from five bat species’ trachea, lungs, kidneys, and intestines, creating a comprehensive system to study virus-host interactions
- Two new bat viruses have already been discovered using this technology, one of which could not grow in standard cell cultures but thrived in the organoids
- The system allows for safe study of dangerous pathogens and testing of antiviral drugs before viruses jump to humans
- Over 75% of new infectious diseases in humans originate from animals, with bats being natural reservoirs for viruses like SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV
A New Frontier in Pandemic Prevention
Korean scientists have developed a groundbreaking approach to pandemic prevention that could revolutionize how we prepare for and combat future viral threats. The Institute for Basic Science (IBS) in Korea has created the world’s largest bat organoid platform—essentially growing miniature versions of bat organs in laboratory dishes—to study how deadly viruses behave in their natural host environment before they ever reach humans. This technology represents a significant advance over traditional virus research methods, which often rely on standard cell cultures that fail to replicate the complex biology of bat organs where viruses naturally reside.
“Reconstructing bat organ physiology in vitro empowers us to dissect zoonotic virus biology with unprecedented precision, a vital step toward mitigating future outbreaks before they reach humans,” says Dr. Koo Bon-Kyoung, lead researcher on the project.
The platform includes mini-organs derived from the trachea, lungs, kidneys, and small intestines of five different bat species from Korea and Europe. This comprehensive approach allows scientists to observe how viruses behave differently across various organs and species, providing crucial insights into why some pathogens can make the deadly jump from bats to humans while others remain confined to their original hosts. The research directly addresses a critical gap in our pandemic preparedness strategy: understanding the biology of viruses in their natural reservoirs before they emerge as human threats.
Already Yielding Results
The new platform has already proven its worth by facilitating the discovery and characterization of two previously unknown bat viruses. Remarkably, one of these viruses could not be grown using conventional laboratory techniques but flourished in the specialized bat organoids. This finding underscores how many potentially dangerous viruses may have gone undetected simply because we lacked the proper tools to study them. By creating realistic biological environments that mimic actual bat tissues, scientists can now identify and study elusive pathogens that might otherwise remain hidden until causing outbreaks.
“This platform lets us isolate viruses, study infections, and test drugs all within one system — something you can’t do with ordinary lab cell models. By mimicking the bat’s natural environment, it boosts the accuracy and real-world value of infectious disease research,” explains KIM Hyunjoon.
Statistics from health authorities indicate that over 75% of emerging infectious diseases in humans originate from animals. Bats, in particular, serve as natural hosts for numerous dangerous viruses, including those responsible for COVID-19, MERS, various strains of influenza, and hantavirus. This biological reality makes the development of specialized bat research tools not merely an academic exercise but a crucial component of President Trump’s renewed focus on American biosecurity and pandemic prevention efforts.
From Lab to Protection
Beyond simply studying viruses, the bat organoid platform enables researchers to test potential antiviral drugs in a realistic biological setting. Traditional drug testing often fails to predict how medications will perform against viruses in their natural hosts, leading to costly failures when treatments reach human trials. The new system can be converted to a two-dimensional version specifically optimized for rapid drug screening, allowing for more reliable evaluation of antiviral compounds before they advance to clinical testing. This capability could dramatically accelerate response times during future outbreaks.
“With these standardized and scalable bat organoids, we aim to systematically identify novel bat-origin viruses and screen antiviral candidates targeting pathogens with pandemic potential,” states Dr. CHOI Young Ki.
The researchers plan to expand their biobank to include more bat species from global viral hotspots, creating what they envision as a critical international resource for biosecurity. By studying the molecular factors that determine whether viruses can cross species barriers, the platform directly supports global efforts to enhance pandemic preparedness. Conservative health policy experts have long advocated for precisely this kind of proactive research approach that identifies threats before they reach American shores rather than scrambling to respond after outbreaks occur—a lesson painfully learned during the COVID pandemic.
America’s Health Security Interests
For America’s national security interests, advancements in bat virus research represent a vital defensive capability. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how a single virus could disrupt global supply chains, strain healthcare systems, and cause unprecedented economic damage. By improving our ability to predict which bat viruses pose the greatest threats to humans and developing countermeasures before outbreaks occur, technologies like the bat organoid platform align perfectly with President Trump’s America First health security agenda. Preventing the next pandemic before it starts offers far greater protection for American lives and livelihoods than even the most efficient emergency response.
The initiative supports international biosecurity efforts by investigating the precise molecular mechanisms that allow viruses to jump from animals to humans. With this knowledge, scientists can develop targeted interventions that block these pathways, potentially preventing future spillover events entirely. As the global biobank resource grows, it will serve as an essential tool for biosecurity experts working to predict and prevent the next pandemic before it can threaten American communities or require costly government intervention.
