###Skin-on-a-chip: Functional skin models with a chip-based perfusion system
Project ID: 2228bd1170 (You will need this ID for your application)
Research Theme: Healthcare Technologies
UCL Lead department: Division of Medicine
Lead Supervisor: Richard Day
Project Summary:
Functional skin models capable of mimicking physiologically relevant milieus are needed to advance research in drug discovery and disease investigation. Although improved bioreactor technologies and advanced tissue engineering has improved various forms of skin models, current systems still lack essential physiological properties and control of the microenvironment suitable for toxicity testing, compound screening and investigating cellular interactions. Using biopsied skin tissue from human volunteers, the aim of this interdisciplinary project is to use principles of engineering to design and manufacture a novel chip-based device that will provide preservation of tissue architecture (including subcutaneous tissue) and allow perfusion of investigational compounds and circulatory cells, while simultaneously allowing tracking and imaging of cells and tissue in real-time. The project will combine additive manufacturing (3D printing) combined with microfluidics and Micro Electromechanical Systems (MEMS) to create a series of prototype devices that can accommodate full thickness skin biopsies. A systematic method (Design of Experiments) will be used to determine the relationship between factors affecting tissue viability (including microfluidic geometry, perfusate flow rate, microdialysis catheter MW cut-off) with the goal of achieving adequate perfusion that maintains tissue viability for at least 5 days. The device will be designed to enable 3D imaging (including hyperspectral imaging/light sheet microscopy) and non-invasive, sequential visualisation and quantification of nanoparticle-labelled cells perfused into the tissue over extended timelines. The final device will be tested with full thickness skin biopsies perfused with labelled immune cells in the presence or absence of well characterised immunomodulators. In addition to tissues from healthy volunteers this system will lend itself to investigating samples from diseased patients. We envisage the device will provide a new tool for investigators in academia and industry interested in optimising disease prediction, diagnosis and intervention that will make it easier to plan more effective and precise interventions.