THIS IS AN SBIR PHASE II CONTRACT: SUBSTRATE ALTERNATIVES FOR ORGAN-ON-A-CHIPS.

Microfluidic organ-on-a-chip (OOC) systems are novel in vitro constructs that incorporate micro-architecture into a cultured cell line(s) to structurally and mechanically mimic more closely in vivo physiological conditions, providing distinct advantages over more conventional cell cultures. These OOC devices are typically constructed from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) which has several drawbacks that can impact the operational potential of OOCs including non-specific absorption of proteins and hydrophobic small molecules, gas permeability, and evaporation. This proposal describes the successful identification and characterization of alternate biocompatible substrate materials enable OOCs to more faithfully represent in vivo physiological conditions and to avoid experimental inconsistencies observed with PDMS. The study also identified unique materials processing strategies for reliable and automated device manufacture. The proposed Phase II research will expand the identification and characterization of alternate biocompatible substrate materials. Compatibility with a variety of cell types will be investigated and, in partnership with leading OOC research groups, we will evaluate how to adapt existing chip designs to incorporate non-PDMS substrates. The proposed innovations have the potential to significantly improve in vitro models for increased understanding of disease physiology, identify additional targets for therapeutic treatments, and increase the potential for positive pharmacological outcomes of new therapeutics.