Technologies

The invention relates to a microfluidic-based body-on-a-chip device that comprises single-organ chips or discs which can be assembled at will. The design of this device allows for independent maturation of the tissue cells (modularity of the chips) and for unidirectional re-circulation of the liquid medium via for example a new passive valve.

Multi-organ microphysiological systems have been developed to mimic the human metabolism in microfluidic devices. Called, body-on-a-chip system, it enables to study the reaction of miniature organs (culture of tissue cells in a chip) to the same environment (media) and the interaction between each other. The aim is to evaluate drug candidates in terms of toxicity, efficacy and delivery.

The present device developed at Cornell University addresses limitations of current body-on-a-chip systems:

• The dependence on the use of an external or integrated micro-pump, which renders the system difficult to maintain at long term (bubble formation and cost);
• The use of less media thus less growth factors, nutrients, etc.;
• A recirculating media system that allows creating an adequate growing environment for each tissue and preserving the functionality of the tissues (shear stress).

Cornell researchers have designed a pumpless microfluidic platform that allows stacking multiple single-organ chips into a microdevice. The advantage of this design is multiple: (i) it enables to grow each tissue cells separately; (ii) it allows gravity-driven fluidic flow and passive fluid controls via hydraulic resistant of the microfluidic channel network (Fig. 1.3); (iii) unique, newly valve designs prevent the liquid medium from flowing backwards through capillary forces (Fig. 1.3).

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