At AMBER, we develop functional devices for bmedical and pharmaceutical applications, and cell biology, by exploiting micro- and nanotechnologies and microfluidics. We focus on hybrid devices combining microfabricated structures and biological constructs, with different levels of complexity and at different scales depending on the precise application.
Current research focuses on the realization of microfluidic and organ-on-chip platforms:
(i) in the field of disease modeling, for cancer research, to deliver advanced in vitro models of the tumor microenvironment and to elucidate processes at play in cancer spreading or metastasis and for proposing next-generation models for fibrotic diseases.
(ii) for the field of medically assisted reproduction;
(iii) to study the impact of (plastic) environmental pollution on human health, particularly focusing on lung tissues and the male/female reproductive tracts; and
(iv) for creating a full model of the human joint.
For these different projects, our mission is to go beyond proof-of-principle experiments and to collaborate with biological, clinical and industrial partners for the demonstration of our devices in a (clinical) relevant environment, as well as for the future commercialization of our platforms.