2023/08/22 | Events | In-vitro & Organs-on-Chip
Organs-on-Chip Technologies Seminar with Prof. Dr. Noo Li Jeon, Seoul National University.
Recent advances in MPS (Microphysiological Systems) research has resulted in reconstruction of biometic 3D cellular microenvironments. However, there remain limitations regarding applicability and manufacturability. Here, we present an injection-molded plastic array 3D universal culture platform (U-IMPACT) for various MPS applications in a single platform such as coculture of various cell types with emphasis on vascularized spheroids and organoids. The U-IMPACT consists of three channels and a spheroid zone with a 96-well plate form factor. Specifically, organoids or spheroids (~500 μm) can be located in designated area, while cell suspensions or cell laden hydrogels can be selectively patterned in three different regions. For stable multi-channel patterning, we developed a new patterning method based on capillary action utilizing capillary channels and native contact angle of the materials without surface modification. We derived the optimal material hydrophilicity (contact angle of body, 45–90°; substrate, < 30°) for robust patterning through experiments and theoretical calculations. We demonstrated that the U-IMPACT enables 3D tumor microenvironments as the angiogenesis, vascularized tumors, and tumor cell migration. Furthermore, we cultured primary neurons and neurospheres from induced neural stem cells. The U-IMPACT can serve as a multifunctional MPS platform for high-content screening.
Noo Li Jeon is Professor at the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University, Korea. After a BSc in Materials Science and Engineering from Northwestern University he acquired a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. As a postdoc he worked at the Chemistry Department, Harvard University followed by a postdoc position in Biomedical Engineering, Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital/Shriner’s Hospital. He became Assistant Professor and subsequently Associate Professor at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California – Irvine. Since 2021 he holds his current position as Full Professor at the School of Mechanical and Aerospace, Engineering, College of Engineering, Seoul National University. His research interests encompass 3D cell culture, microfluidics, cancer cell migration, angiogenesis, organ on a chip.
