Recipient Reports

Katherine Ellis - 2025 Receipient

Project Update: Development of a Model of Endometriosis which Incorporates the Mechanical Micro-environment

Research Updates: Since arriving in Boston at the start of November 2025, I have undertaken a flurry of research activity. I have worked with three main sources of cells: existing endometrium organoids derived from the endometrium of endometriosis patients, existing endometrium organoids derived from the endometrium of patients without endometriosis, and finally, novel organoids derived from endometriosis lesions. Working with this final cell type has been a major achievement. The capacity to develop organoid cell lines from endometriosis samples is in its infancy internationally and when I started there was no established protocol or pipeline for the generation of these organoids at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 

I have been able to isolate and grow endometriosis organoids from all three main sub-types of endometriosis: superficial endometriosis, ovarian endometrioma, and deep infiltrating endometriosis. This is a major achievement as it means that ongoing research with these resources will be able to assess key heterogeneities in the presentation of this disease. Particularly exciting is that using my pipeline we were able to derive cells from the endometrium of a patient with endometriosis, as well as from superficial, ovarian and deep infiltrating lesions from the same patient. This combination of cells will be incredibly valuable in assessing similarities and differences in the disease from even within the same patient.

During my time doing research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the Gynepathology Research Center, I have been working with PEG-peptide and PEG-hyaluronic acid gels of varying stiffnesses. This has meant that I have been able to culture organoids from the endometrium and from endometriosis lesions over a range of stiffnesses with a range of other factors which influence the behaviour of the cells to more accurately reflect the environment within the body. I have also done rheological characterisation of these gels to validate the range of stiffness experiences by the cells.

The priority for my final two months in the USA is to continue to isolate cells from endometriosis lesions to develop a cell bank that will be used on an ongoing basis by the Gynepathology Center in their groundbreaking research, develop a model using a programme called Aivia to measure the number, size and morphology of organoids from images like those below, conduct RNAseq on endometrium and endometriosis organoids to assess key similarities and differences between the tissues, and finally, stain the organoids to determine whether key mechanosensing pathways are activated in response to the increasing stiffness of the gels. 

My immense thanks go again to the Kate Sheppard Memorial Trust for this honour and for supporting me in my work here at MIT. The work I have done and am continuing to do is the highlight of my PhD journey and will set me up to continue to do groundbreaking work upon my return to Aotearoa New Zealand.

Use of Funds: As intended, the very generous $3000 award went to accommodation costs as my monthly rent in Boston is $4875, and towards medical insurance coverage.

The same cells grown in three different stiffness gel droplets for the same period of time. Note the different morphologies and the evident crinkling and folding of the organoids on the right-hand side in the stiffest gel. 

Organoids droplets from endometriosis lesions growing in droplets upon initial isolation from patient biopsy tissue samples.