Abstract

Engineering Organotypic Disease On-a-Chip Models; Harnessing Innovations in Microfluidics, Biomaterials and Single-Cell Resolution Analysis

Mehdi Nikkhah, Associate Professor, Arizona State University

Three-dimensional (3D) ex vivo organotypic tissue models have garnered significant attention for a wide range of applications in the landscape of biomedical and pre-clinical research. Tissue-on-a-chip technologies have effectively addressed the limitations associated with animal models, providing a better understanding of the intricate biological mechanisms underlying complex human diseases. These innovative technologies have also greatly streamlined the drug development and discovery process by establishing scalable and high-throughput miniaturized platforms for efficiently assessing the effectiveness of multiple drugs and compounds. In this seminar, Dr. Nikkhah will introduce his laboratory's multidisciplinary research focus, which centers on the integration of microfluidics technologies, advanced biomaterials, and single-cell level analysis to create the next generation of physiologically relevant organotypic tissue-on-chip platforms for disease modeling and drug testing applications. The seminar will particularly highlight their work in engineering tumor microenvironment (TME) models, aimed at studying the earliest stages of cancer progression in the metastatic cascade. Additionally, he will briefly touch upon the development of a 3D vascularized human stem cell-derived tissue-on-a-chip model designed for investigating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.