Descrizione del progetto
Dispositivi organ-on-a-chip microfluidici per migliorare lo sviluppo preclinico di farmaci
Il progetto PORTable STaNDOuTs, finanziato dall’UE, si propone di sviluppare dispositivi organ-on-a-chip microfluidici integrati con elettrodi per misurazioni di resistenza elettrica transepiteliale (TEER, Transepithelial Electrical Resistance), al fine di sostituire le attuali procedure precliniche dispendiose in termini di tempo e di costi nel processo di sviluppo dei farmaci. La misurazione TEER è rapida e non invasiva, e indica l’integrità della barriera della membrana cellulare di diversi organi necessari per l’omeostasi nel corpo umano. L’obiettivo è realizzare un dispositivo perfuso con tre compartimenti, uno per l’intestino, uno per il fegato e uno per i reni, indipendentemente dotati di elettrodi per la misurazione dei valori TEER per rilevare l’integrità delle barriere della membrana cellulare in ogni compartimento d’organo. La tecnologia sviluppata sarà successivamente convalidata per la sua capacità di studiare la nefrotossicità indotta da farmaci.
Obiettivo
PORTable STaNDOuTs aims to develop a multiple Organs-on-a-Chip (MOOC) microfluidic device integrated with electrodes for carrying out Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurements. The key motivation for adopting such an approach is to develop a rapid, versatile and cost-effective prototype with ability for real-time monitoring to replace the conventional long and cost-ineffective preclinical procedures involved in the drug development process. On administration of an oral pharmaceutical drug, major organs that are involved in the absorption and metabolism of drug are intestine and liver. The drug is then distributed to different target organs such as brain, heart, lung, etc. Finally, the drug metabolites are eliminated from the human system with the help of kidney. Additionally, it has also been found that certain drug metabolites produced by the liver cause non-target drug induced organ toxicity. TEER measurement is a rapid and non-invasive technique for the real-time detection of pathophysiology. TEER indicates the integrity of the cell membrane barrier of different organs that is necessary for maintaining homeostasis within the human body. In view of this, we intend to fabricate a physiologically-mimicking perfused intestine-liver-kidney microfluidic chip with provision for carrying out in-chip TEER measurements. The device will be designed to consist of three compartments for organs namely, intestine, liver and kidney, independently equipped with electrodes for measuring TEER values to detect the integrity of cell membrane barriers in each organ compartment. The developed device will be then subsequently validated for its ability to study drug-induced nephrotoxity. Furthermore, the device will also be made versatile to incorporate other organs of interest to study non-target organ toxicity. Thus, the developed MOOC microfluidic device will surely boost the drug development process that will successively improve the health security of the society.
Campo scientifico
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacydrug discovery
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesclassical mechanicsfluid mechanicsmicrofluidics
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinepharmacology and pharmacypharmaceutical drugs
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinephysiologypathophysiology
- medical and health sciencesbasic medicinephysiologyhomeostasis
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinatore
93100 Montreuil
Francia
L’organizzazione si è definita una PMI (piccola e media impresa) al momento della firma dell’accordo di sovvenzione.