Periodic Reporting for period 4 - OCLD (Tracking the Dynamics of Human Metabolism using Spectroscopy-Integrated Liver-on-Chip Microdevices)
Berichtszeitraum: 2021-04-01 bis 2021-09-30
The natural cycle of day and night on our planet introduces inherent cycles to our local environment. These cyclical differences in light, temperature and food availability produce hormonal oscillations in higher organisms that allow us to better prepare for morning activity as well as prolonged fasting during the night. Disruption of these circadian rhythms leads to metabolic syndrome, obesity and type-2 diabetes. These metabolic diseases are pronounced in nightshift workers and are exacerbated by widespread light pollution. While current work on circadian rhythms focuses on animal models, differences in metabolism, physiology and genetics make it difficult to translate these findings to clinical results. In this project we sought to develop a three-dimensional models of human organs that maintain natural metabolic rhythms in a micro fluidic environment that mimic human physiology.
Our model successfully captured metabolic oscillations in a 3D model of the human liver, as well as the onset of circadian rhythms in a 3D model of a developing embryo. This proprietary technology was patented at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and licensed to Tissue Dynamics, a groundbreaking Organ-on-Chip company developing the first physiological bioanalyzer. The last 18 months of the project included major breakthroughs identifying novel metabolic mechanisms of drug induced kidney and cardiac injury as well as identified virus-induced lipotoxicity as a cause of lung damage in COVID-19.
Our model successfully captured metabolic oscillations in a 3D model of the human liver, as well as the onset of circadian rhythms in a 3D model of a developing embryo. This proprietary technology was patented at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and licensed to Tissue Dynamics, a groundbreaking Organ-on-Chip company developing the first physiological bioanalyzer. The last 18 months of the project included major breakthroughs identifying novel metabolic mechanisms of drug induced kidney and cardiac injury as well as identified virus-induced lipotoxicity as a cause of lung damage in COVID-19.
We integrated in line metabolic sensors in our liver on chip microdevice, enabling a real time analysis of metabolic fluxes. This work was published with L’Oreal (Paris, France) on the cover of Lab Chip, 2019. We developed an automated flow control unit together with Fluigent (Paris,France) capable of oscillating hormones and temperature in organ on chip microdevices. This technology was submitted as a patent application and licensed to Tissue Dynamics Ltd.
We have published several high impact papers and submitted a patent application. Several other projects on kidney and heart on a chip are ongoing.