Complexity for Drug R&D in a Functional 3D Model to Be Discussed at the 2015 FAST Congress

NEEDHAM, Mass. - Sept. 19, 2014 - PRLog -- As part of Cambridge Healthtech Institute’s FAST: Functional Analysis & Screening Technologies Congress, a morning of presentations on engineering tissue chips and integrating organ systems will respond to the present challenges in creating accurate complex 3D models. The featured session will take place on November 17, kicking off a full two-day conference on Engineering 3D Tissue Models. To view the agenda, speaking faculty, program abstracts and registration details, visit http://www.fastcongress.com/3D-Tissue-Models.

Presentations on capturing the complex functions of living tissue and organ 3D models include:

Models of Complex Human Disease in 3D Skin-Like Tissues

Jonathan Garlick, D.D.S, Ph.D., Professor, Oral Pathology, School of Dental Medicine, Tufts University; Director, Center for Integrated Tissue Engineering and Professor, Tufts School of Medicine, School of Engineering and Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences

Chronic diseases like diabetes are characterized by complex microenvironments in which disease complications arise. The screening of novel treatments, like chronic wounds, must use 3D tissue platforms that better mimic in vivo conditions. We describe the development of 3D tissues that mimic non-healing wounds by incorporating cells derived from chronic wounds and iPSCs. This provides "disease in a tissue" platforms that can more efficiently translate in vitro findings into clinical applications.

Toward a 3D Model of Human Brain Development for Studying Gene/Environment Interactions

Helena Hogberg, Ph.D., Research Associate, Environmental Health Sciences, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University

Microphysiological systems (MPS) could generate more complex in vitro human models that better simulate organ biology and function. iPSCs allow cellular studies of individuals with different genetic backgrounds. Application of iPSCs from different donors in MPS improves understanding of disease mechanisms, drug development, toxicology and medicine. For a brain-on-a-chip, we established a 3D model from healthy and Down Syndrome donors' iPSCs with mRNA and microRNA levels evaluated during eight weeks of neural differentiation.

"Body-on-a-Chip": A Multi-Organ Microdevice for Drug Development

Michael L. Shuler, Ph.D., Professor, Chemical Engineering and Chair, Biomedical Engineering, School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University

Our goal is the development of a human-based in vitro system that reduces dependency on animal testing and makes more effective predictions of human response to drugs. By combining microfabrication and cell culture, we have constructed devices known as "Body-on-a-Chip" systems. These devices are physical replicas of a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model where tissue-engineered constructs replace the differential equations for each organ in the PBPK.

Organs-on-a-Chip: The Future of Personalized Medicine?

Kevin E. Healy, Ph.D., Jan Fandrianto Distinguished Chair in Engineering; Professor and Chair, Bioengineering; Professor, Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley

Drug safety and efficacy testing are hampered by high failure rates attributed to reliance on non-human animal models. We have developed integrated in vitro models of human cardiac and liver tissue based on normal and patient-specific hiPS cell populations differentiated into cardiomyocytes or hepatocytes, respectively. Our in vitro integrated physiological system has the potential to significantly reduce both the cost and duration of bringing a new drug candidate to market.

The presentations are part of the second annual FAST: Functional Analysis & Screening Technologies Congress, taking place November 17-19, 2014 in Boston, MA. To view full event details, visit http://www.fastcongress.com.

Advance registration rates apply and are available until October 10, 2014.

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