Project description
3D human tissue models for medical and cosmetic screenings
The goal of the EU-funded PLATFORMA project is to produce novel high-content platforms for the commercial screening of cosmetics, pollutants and new therapeutics. Partners aim to build two 3D modular human tissues supported by laser-printed biocompatible scaffolds for the electrophysiological monitoring of cell conditions. The skin-sensory module will be a world-first innervated human skin tissue model to enable the study and testing of peripheral nervous system responses to external stimuli in a physiologically relevant context. The muscle-motor module will be a motor neuroskeletal muscle tissue model to allow non-invasive recordings of neuromuscular transmission in real time. It will support studies on muscular atrophies and motor neuron diseases with genetically engineered or patient-derived cells and the analysis of drug effects.
Objective
PLATFORMA is a commercially driven collaboration to produce novel high-content phenotypic platforms for screening cosmetics, pollutants and new therapeutics. We propose to create purpose-built, 3D modular human tissues supported by laser-printed bio-compatible scaffolds from which electro-physiological status of the cells can be monitored. Each tissue module will consist of multiple different cell types. Two main modules will be developed namely a Skin-Sensory Module and a Muscle-Motor Module. Skin-Sensory Module will be a world first; a commercially available innervated human skin tissue model. It will allow studies and testing of Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) responses to external stimuli in a physiologically-relevant context. This module itself can be used to investigate activities of both dermal and nerve cells at the same time. When a stimulus is introduced on the skin layer, responses of skin cells and activities of sensory neurons (e.g. pain & itch) can be recorded simultaneously. Muscle-Motor Module is an innovative motor neuron-skeletal muscle tissue model. It allows non-invasive recordings of neuromuscular transmission in real time. It will support studies of muscular atrophies & motor neuron diseases with genetically engineered or patient derived cells and long-term monitoring and analysis of drug effects (toxicity and efficacy) with live 3D imaging and electro-physiological recordings. Partners StratiCELL and Axol Bioscience will respectively champion the exploitation of the Skin-Sensory and Muscle-Motor modules, working with early adopter customers in cosmetic and dermatologic testing drug development. The technology is derived from FET Open project MESO-BRAIN featuring 2PP fabrication of 3D scaffolds with built-in electrodes and fast maturation protocols for cultivating sensory and motor neurons from IPSc derived neural progenitors. PLATFORMA bulds upon MESO0BRAIN in the direction of market demand for physiologically-relevant test platforms.
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Funding Scheme
RIA - Research and Innovation actionCoordinator
B4 7ET Birmingham
United Kingdom