In vitro is the beginning – it provides those critical first answers and offers directions. Cell cultures have been applied for study of basic cell biology, the interactions going on within cells, the interactions between pathogens and their hosts, the production of vaccines and proteins and so much more. Organoids are an emerging in vitro model that revolutionizes our understanding of organogenesis and disease development. The successful establishment of an organoid-based model for human organs allows the modeling of complex physiological processes such as organ development, genetic disease development and cancer development, which are difficult to achieve in conventional 2D in vitro models. Moreover, patient-specific organoids can be developed using patient-derived cells, allowing greater precision in drug screening and toxicity testing. 
These points may seem to be quite obvious to those of us who are and/or have been using in vitro technology in research projects as students and then on to career paths in academia or industry. However, many people in today’s world (surprisingly, this also includes some scientists) have limited knowledge as to what, where and especially how in vitro truly fits into applied research. When they hear or see the words in vitro, what seems to immediately come to mind is the process known as In Vitro Fertilization or IVF. To them In Vitro = IVF! Totally unappreciated is the fact that IVF is actually only one application of thousands derived from In Vitro Technology!
Knowing of tremendous impact of in vitro methodologies on live organism research, in 1946 a group of scientists saw an opportunity for the sharing of this knowledge by bringing together fellow scientists working in a broad range of disciplines applying various in vitro techniques. This resulted in the establishment of The Society for In Vitro Biology (SIVB), originally founded as the Tissue Culture Association. At SIVB annual meetings research discussions cover living organisms from the unicellular to the multicellular complexity of humans.
SIVB’s Mission/Vision is to not only foster the exchange of knowledge of in vitro biology of cells, tissues and organs from all culturable organisms but also promote a greater appreciation and awareness of the specific and essential techniques and methodologies of in vitro biology that play a role in generating that knowledge.
This can be accomplished by:
(1) Reaching out to researchers involved in cellular, molecular and developmental biology using organs, tissues or cells derived from plants, animals, humans, insects, fish or the incredibly vast numbers of viruses, bacteria and fungi.
(2) Reminding fellow scientists and communicating to the nonscientific community that all such research initiated outside a complete living entity (information gained via out of body in vitro experimentation) provides the basic information and knowledge required before any move to the next level (whole body in vivo experimentation).
This path from in vitro to in vivo is what makes it possible to continue achieving forward scientific progress.
Submitted by Barbara Doonan
