Project description
Organ-on-a-chip technology for studying metabolic diseases
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with the deregulation of adipose tissue lipolysis. Although hepatic cell insulin resistance may be the underlying culprit, there is a need to understand how hepatic and adipocyte insulin resistance develop and influence each other. To address this limitation and study liver–adipose tissue crosstalk, the EU-funded LIV-AD-ON-CHIP project will develop a two-organ-on-a-chip model. Researchers will culture hepatocytes and adipocytes in connected systems and undertake transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses after inducing insulin resistance. This in vitro model can be used with patient-specific cells to identify potential biomarkers and new biomarkers of NAFLD or other metabolic diseases.
Objective
Insulin resistance is one of the key factors for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and metabolic syndrome development and progression. Both diseases have an immense societal and economic impact. However, the biological mechanisms triggering the onset of the diseases are still poorly understood. NAFLD is assumed to be triggered by hepatic insulin resistance, possibly resulting from adipose tissue lipolysis dysregulation. The study of the crosstalk between liver and adipose tissue is thus essential for the understanding of insulin resistance triggering events but is limited by the availability of suitable models. Hence, the aim of this proposal is to establish a two-organ-on-a-chip-model and to utilize it to study liver-adipose tissue crosstalk and understand how hepatic and adipocyte insulin resistance develop and influence each other. In order to study the molecular mechanisms of inter-tissue communication and overcome the complexity and non-human nature of animal models, an innovative organ-on-a-chip system using a flexible connection technology will be utilized to culture hepatocytes and adipocytes in connected systems. Human stem cell derived adipocyte- and hepatocytes-like cells with the same genetic background will be cultured in this system and characterized regarding their metabolic competence. The cell’s functional characterization, transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis, upon pharmacological induction of insulin resistance, will allow to unravel its molecular triggering mechanisms in vitro. The same approach will be applied to patient-specific cells creating a patient-specific physiopatological in vitro model under distinct nutrient mixtures. This project is a highly innovative multidisciplinary approach that uses organ-on-a-chip technology for in vitro disease modeling to study the triggering molecular mechanisms and possibly identify potential biomarkers and/or pharmacological and non-pharmacological targets of high impact diseases.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology cells technologies stem cells
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine hepatology
- engineering and technology other engineering and technologies microtechnology organ on a chip
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
MAIN PROGRAMME
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H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2018
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
72074 Tuebingen
Germany
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.