Lung-on-Chip model: Integration of lactate sensing and system miniaturization

Over a million deaths worldwide can be attributed to respiratory diseases, whose mortality rate is predicted to remain constant for another decade. The high costs and big timescales required to produce successful treatments for respiratory disease are a consequence of the failure of current models to mimic human specific diseases, like asthma or cystic fibrosis. To answer the lack of appropriate models for drug development, the organ-on-chip model emerged as a midpoint between in vitro and in vivo animal models. This model aims to simulate the activities, mechanics and physiological responses of entire organs or tissues, usually inside a small microfluidic chip. The aim is to develop a microfluidic device integrating a "Plug and Play" biochip array. The device enables long-term air liquid interface (ALI) epithelial culture, apical and basolateral surface experimental challenges and analysis of key physiological, biochemical and phenotypic outputs. Uniquely, it enables measurement of trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) from one side (liquid) and high-resolution temporal analysis of mediator release. New functionalities will be integrated into this platform, making it possible to analyse the cell viability, with lactate sensing, and product, by droplet microfluidics. The current system will also undergo changes to implement other types of pumping mechanisms, making it more compact and scalable in the future