"Polymer processing for organ-on-a-chip devices'

Microfluidic-based tissue-on-a-chip devices have generated significant research interest for biomedical applications, with a great potential for uses within pharmaceutical development. Recent advances within the area have seen these devices evolve from basic 2D cell cultures, into a push towards the design and fabrication of microfluidic 3D devices. The 3D microenvironment seen in in vivo tissue assists greatly in a cells morphology, polarity, and behaviour, meaning that for a truly accurate model, it must be designed in a way that can recapitulate this dynamic and mechanical environment of the native tissue.

These devices have the potential to provide a more sensitive and accurate assay in comparison to animal testing, where fundamental differences within animal and human physiology and immune systems result in a difficult translation of results.

Not only would the use of organ-on-a-chip technologies see to assist with speeding up the process of pharmaceutical design and approval, it aligns with the principles of the 3Rs of animal testing - reducing, refining and replacing animal testing, providing a more ethical solution to standard protocols. With these reasons considered, this project to be focused on an extremely meaningful and important area of medical science that needs to be addressed.