Organ-on-a-Chip Europe 2016 Agenda

Registration

Towards Organs-on-Chip for Drug Testing, Mechanistic Studies, and Personalized Medicine by Selective Assembly of Primary Cells Enabled by Dielectrophoresis in Microfluidic Devices
Martin Stelzle, Head of BioMEMS & Sensors Department, NMI at University of Tübingen, Germany

Organs-on-chip are envisioned to provide in vivo-like results in preclinical drug testing by establishing cell cultures mimicking the smallest functional units of an organ. A brief review of prominent international projects will be given. Secondly, we will report on our organs-on-chip technology based on combining microfluidics and dielectrophoresis (DEP) to assemble primary human cells and enabling the automated in vitro construction of micro-organs mimicking the in vivo structure of organs.

Modular Human Biochip-based Organoid Models in Biomedical Research
Alexander Mosig, Lab Head, Biochip-based Organ Models, Jena University Hospital, Germany

A novel biochip organoid platform involving circulating primary immune cells has been developed for the investigation of sepsis-related organ dysfunction. Organoid models are capable to mimic inflammation-related organ failure as well as essential aspects of of tissue repair.

Coffee & Networking in the Exhibition Hall

Putting a Human Heart & Fat on a Chip: Microphysiological Platforms as in vitro Models of Cardiac and Adipose Tissue
Peter Loskill, Assistant Professor for Experimental Regenerative Medicine; Attract Group Leader Organ-on-a-Chip, Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Germany

Using microfabrication techniques we have developed two microphysiological platforms incorporating 3D in vitro models of human cardiac and adipose tissue in a microfluidic environment. Both organ-chips are able to create physiological micro-tissues that are viable and functional for multiple weeks.

Lunch & Networking in the Exhibition Hall

Poster Viewing Session

The Patent Landscape of Organs-on-a-chip
Robert Esmond, Director, Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C, United States of America

The presentation will focus on ways to protect organs-on-a-chip innovation, patent filings directed to organs-on-a-chip technology, certain exceptions to patent infringement, as well as the possibility of future litigation.

Coffee & Networking in the Exhibition Hall

Bioinks Supporting Angiogenic Potential in Organ Printing
Kalle Johnson, R&D Development Team Manager, GE Healthcare Services, United States of America
Michael Golway, President & CEO, Advanced Solutions, Inc., United States of America

One of the last hurdles in the bioprinting of larger tissues and full organs is the engineering of functional vascularization. The additive manufacturing of proto-vascular biomimetic structures has progressed but limitations still exist with achieving functional vascular systems capable of angiogenesis and differentiated structures that mimic the behavior in a living organism. One challenge remaining is the development of both appropriate printing fluids and the in vitro culture media employed in the progression of the pre-implantation 3D bioprinted scaffolds.  

Commercial Development of Organ-on-a-chip Systems – Challenges and Strategies
Juliane Schnabel, Scientist Application, Microfluidic ChipShop GmbH, Germany

The transition from academic results into commercial development of organ-on-a-chip devices has specific challenges. In this paper, we present examples for organ-on-a-chip devices with respect to manufacturability and scalability.

Drinks Reception in the Exhibition Hall

End of Day One

Hierarchically Structured Biomaterials for Bone-on-a-Chip Devices and Bone Tissue Engineering
Frederik Claeyssens, Senior Lecturer, Materials Science and Engineering, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom

Microfluidic Chips and Cancer Treatment
John Greenman, Professor of Tumour Immunology, The University Of Hull, United Kingdom

The interdisciplinary lab on a chip group at the University of Hull have been characterizing and optimizing devices that can maintain fresh tissue biopsies in a functional state.  This tissue can then be subjected to various “treatments” and the effects measured through analysis of the supernatant or post-treatment tissue.  Results from varied tumour types and analyses will be presented.

A Microfluidic Chip based Model for the Study of Full Thickness Human Intestinal Tissue using Dual Flow
Amy Dawson, Post Doctoral Research Associate, University of Hull, United Kingdom

A dual-flow microfluidic device has been optimised to hold human gut biopsies in a known orientation mimicking the biomimetic environment, with continual media perfusion and simultaneous waste removal. Characterisation of the tissue by measuring cell death, proliferation, histology and soluble inflammatory biomarkers has shown that it remains viable and functional.

Coffee & Networking in the Exhibition Hall

Kidney on a Chip using Cell Sheet Engineering
Brian Derby, Professor, University of Manchester, United Kingdom

There is a need for an improved kidney-on-a-chip for applications in toxicity testing and early stage compound screening. The filtration structures in a kidney are thin cell sheets that act as membranes. Here we present a cell sheet concept for a more accurate representation of a kidney for in vitro organ models.

Cancer Extravasation Dynamics in an In Vitro Blood Vessel Model
Cristina Bertulli, PhD Student, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom

The aim of this research is to investigate breast cancer extravasation in vitro, using a microfluidic system mimicking the 3D in vivo vascular microenvironment. This microfluidic platform can be used to quantify cancer cell morphological changes during the invasion process.

Microstructured 3D Cell Culture Scaffolds
Maria Tenje, Senior Lecturer, Uppsala University, Sweden

I will present our work on micropatterning of 3D cell culture scaffolds using natural hydrogels. The hydrogels can be well-defined in thickness and lateral resolution on the micrometer scale. These materials can serve as the basis of novel 3D in vitro models.

Lunch & Networking in the Exhibition Hall

Poster Viewing Session

Can Organ-on-a-Chip Technology Really Replace Animal Testing of Drug and Chemical Safety?
Kelly Davidge, Research and Development Manager, Kirkstall Ltd, United Kingdom

This presentation looks at the current limitations of organ-on-a-chip and explores how these challenges could be overcome through the use of intermediary, meso-scale technology.

What and Why do We Want to Make it? How do we Make it Now and What Could We Add?
John Alderman, Consultant, Technology for Industry, United Kingdom

This presentation will look at some of the fabrication techniques merging from several different fields and how they are now being used to make platforms for the present generation of ‘organ-on-a-chip’ studies. A brief look at limitations and present compromises will be followed by a speculative look at possible developments.

Coffee Break & Close of Conference