Converged Biofabrication Technologies for High-Content Tissue Model Engineering

Y. Shrike Zhang
Harvard Medical School,
United States

Keywords: biofabrication, bioprinting, microfluidics, biomaterials, microphysiological systems

Summary:

Microphysiological systems are microfluidic three-dimensional miniature human tissue and organ models that recapitulate the important biological and physiological parameters of their in vivo counterparts. These biomimetic microtissues are anticipated to supplement the conventional planar, static cell cultures, and to bridge the gaps between the current pre-clinical animal models and the human body. In addition, multiple microtissues may be channeled together through the microfluidics in a similar manner they arrange in vivo, providing the capacity to analyze interactions among these models. This talk will discuss our recent efforts on developing organ-on-chip platforms formed by integration of biofabrication technologies harnessing sophisticated microfluidics and volumetric tissue configurations. A reverse-engineered human alveolar lung-on-a-chip model will be used to exemplify such concept. These platforms will likely provide new opportunities in constructing functional tissue and disease models for drug discovery, therapeutics screening, and precision medicine.