The recently created hDMT theme group "Bone-on-Chip" will be hosted by the Organ-on-Chip Centre Twente for it second group meeting on 16 June 2023. During this meeting, the participants will have the opportunity to share updates on bone-on-chip models that are under development. Also new ideas and challenges will be discussed.
Theme group
"The goal of this group meeting is to promote interaction, share knowledge, and provide opportunities for collaboration," says Liliana Moreira Teixeira (see photo-insert), who is currently pursuing a tenure track at the University of Twente Advanced Organ Bioengineering and Therapeutics group (AOT). She is one of the chairs and initiators of this theme group. The Bone-on-Chip theme group is a new group in the hDMT consortium aiming to bring together the hDMT researchers with an interest and activities on bone research. The group is jointly co-ordinated by Nathalie Bravenboer from Amsterdam UMC and Liliana Moreira Teixeira. In December 2022, the start of this theme group was sealed by the kick-off meeting in Amsterdam, presenting the current challenges and opportunities in the field.
Bone-on-Chip
Globally, bone is the second most transplanted tissue: more than 2 million bone graft procedures are performed annually. Nevertheless, one of the most important processes during this surgical procedure, i.e. bone regeneration, is largely not understood. This lack of knowledge can be attributed to the fact that in vitro models are scarce, largely not understood, mostly not meeting the micro-environmental and cell type complexity to resemble physiological and clinical reality, and are thus not reliable for predicting clinical outcome. Bone-on-chip microdevices are gaining attention increasingly as human measurement models for the investigation of bone (patho-)physiology and point-of-care precision medicine. It is expected that the comprehensive integration of clinicians, industry, regulatory entities, and academics will bring bone microfluidics closer to clinical medicine, entering a new era in bone therapeutics.
Challenges
"We are looking forward to discussing together the current challenges to create opportunities jointly for pushing the field on bone-on-chip forward," adds Liliana Moreira Teixeira. "There are many challenges to be addressed, such as reproducing the complete cortical and trabecular lamellar bone with all its facets. This will mimic the disease in vitro." One other major challenge is the integration of bone-on-chip with other tissues on chip that are usually interacting with bone, like muscle, tendon, bone marrow and vessels. "I am looking forward to discuss these issues with the group and start new collaborations to tackle these topics," Liliana concludes.
More information
Please see below for the location and time of the event. Would you like to know more about this theme group or do you have any general questions about the Organ-on-Chip Centre Twente? Please reach out to oocct@utwente.nl.
