Page 32 - Eclipse - Autumn/Winter 2023

 

 

 

 

 

Page 32 - Eclipse - Autumn/Winter 2023
P. 32

RESEARCH NEWS





         awarded grant to develop first-ever

        organ-on-a-chip facility for veterinary species




               VC researchers have been
               awarded funding to develop a
               first-of-its-kind organ-on-a-chip
       Rfacility for veterinary species.
        By reflecting animal tissue structures
        and predicting responses to a wide
        range of stimuli including to pathogens,
        vaccines, environmental conditions and
        cell-to-cell interactions, this technology
        will help close important knowledge
        gaps and reduce the number of animals
        necessary for in-vivo testing.
        Organs-on-chips (OoC) are systems
        containing engineered or natural miniature
        tissues grown inside microfluidic chips.
        Developed to better mimic species
        physiology, than that of traditional 2D
        cell culturing, the chips can control
        cell microenvironments and maintain
        structures and functions for tissues and
        organs, such as the blood-brain barrier,
        lungs and heart, while being constantly
        supplied by the necessary nutrients.
        Importantly, OoC’s also help bridge the   interactions. It will also support the   Dirk Werling, Professor of Molecular
        gap between animal and human systems,   development of regenerative medicine   Immunology, commented: “The organ-
        allowing for drug and vaccine testing and   therapies, such as stem cell therapy for   on-a-chip is one of the top 10 emerging
        supporting studies into how cells interact   tendon, heart and eye conditions, kidney   technologies and we are very proud to
        with each other and pathogens, without   failure and cancers in multi-cell systems.  be able to establish this technology at
        having to use live animal testing.  This project will sit in our newly created   the , thus actively contributing to the
                                                                                development of new treatment strategies
        Funded by UK Research and Innovation,   Centre for Vaccinology and Regenerative   as well as further reducing the usage of
        the ’s OoC project will help     Medicine, which was established to play   animals for in-vivo testing and therefore
        assess the development of new       a leading role in the development and   contributing to the 3Rs – replacement,
        vaccines and vaccine approaches by   translation of vaccines and regenerative   reduction and refinement.”
        better understanding host-pathogen   medicine approaches for animal and
                                            human health.






















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