Category: EUROoCS

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3RS STUDENT GRANTS 2025: CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

The European Partnership for Alternative Approaches to Animal Testing (EPAA) supports students and young scientists with outstanding work in the field of alternative approaches for attending a high-profile scientific event.

 

 

 

 

Every year, a number of high-profile international meetings bring together world-class scientists working on the development and acceptance of 3R alternatives to animal testing (Replacement, Reduction or Refinement). Costs linked to participation may prevent students with promising work or young scientists at the beginning of their career from attending these events. The EPAA partners are therefore happy to sponsor the 3Rs Student grants to facilitate the participation of students and young scientists in such events.

A jury will assess the applications and propose a list of selected candidates to the EPAA Steering Committee. The jury will be composed of 4 members (two from the Industry and two from the European Commission) who will judge.

In 2025, a two full grants of 1000€ for MPS World Summit 2025, SETAC 2025 and EUROTOX 2025 are available.
– All grants cover the reimbursement of the event registration fees for the student/young scientist as well as travel and accommodation fees, on the basis of the expense receipts. Payment will be made after the event.

Eligibility
Eligibility criteria for both students and events are defined as follows. Applications falling out of this scope will not be accepted.
Students
1) Applicants have to be based (i.e. studying) in one of the 27 EU Member States or the UK. Citizenship may be from any country (i.e. also outside of the EU).
2) Applicants must be graduated (BSc / First cycle completed with at least 180 ECTS credits) when applying and should not have a doctoral degree.
3) Applicants must still be considered as full-time students or young scientists (≤ 35 years old) when applying.
4) Young scientists employed by industry are not eligible
5) No funding or reimbursement by another entity for the same student and event is allowed.

Further information on the events and the application and selection process can be found here.

EPAA recognition
The winner of the grant accepts to give recognition to EPAA in their presentation/poster. The winner is required to provide a proof which clearly shows him or her giving recognition to EPAA (a photo or a video with oral statement).
The winner of the grant also accepts that the EPAA may publish the abstracts of the presentation / the poster on its website (after the event), in order to promote and disseminate the research. A short summary report of the event and how the student benefitted from the participation needs to be provided.

ABOUT EPAA
EPAA is a Public-Private Partnership across seven industry sectors and between European Commission and Industry stakeholders. Launched in 2005, it gathers 38 companies, 9 European trade federations and 5 Directorates-General of the European Commission.
Further information is available on:
https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/chemicals/european-partnership-alternative-approaches-animal-testing_en
EPAA Annual report 2024:
https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/62494/attachments/1/translations/en/renditions/native

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Digital lectures Junior session (October 22, 2024)

Join us for the next EUROoCS Digital Meeting!
🗓️ Date: October 22, 2024
🕔 Time: 17:00-18:00 CET

We are excited to feature three distinguished speakers:
Ibra Maulana
Title: Tumor-on-chips recapitulating tumor-microenvironment interaction applicable for cell therapy testing
Biosketch: Ibra earned his PhD from the University of Tübingen, focusing on tumor-on-chip models for cell-based therapies and the adipose tumor microenvironment. He is now a postdoc at the Max-Delbrück-Center in Berlin, researching disease onset and progression using microphysiological models.
Pierre Caullet
Title: An amphicrine pancreas-on-chip to model the initiation of PDAC
Biosketch: Pierre is a PhD student at CEA Grenoble, France, developing a pancreas-on-chip model to study pancreatic adenocarcinoma and its interactions with endocrine islets. He holds a double master’s degree in biotechnology and physics applied to cell biology.
Mattia Ballerini
Title: A 3D mechanically-active gut-on-chip enables prediction of response of melanoma to immune checkpoint inhibitors based on fecal microbiota
Biosketch: Mattia earned his PhD in Bioengineering from Politecnico di Milano, focusing on a 3D Gut-on-Chip platform to study the intestinal microbiome’s influence on cancer and immunotherapy outcomes. He is currently a Postdoctoral Fellow at the MiMic Lab.

Please sign up via this link or use the QR code in the picture.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from these experts and engage in insightful discussions! 🌟

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From Organ on Chip Innovations to Policy Roadmaps: Highlights from EUROoCS2024

Written by Anas Munir & Mara Lucchetti

The 2024 edition of EUROoCS Conference concluded in Milan after three days of bustling activity in the field of Organ-on-Chip (OoC) and microphysiological systems. The packed programme which continued from 3rd July to 5th July, included keynotes from the industry and academia, national Organ-on-Chip initiatives and discussions on policy roadmaps. This year’s EUROoCS conference was the first to be held in Milan, a city no stranger to trendsetters, hosted by the society’s very own, co-chairs Marco Rasponi and Paola Occhetta.

EUROoCS2024 garnered immense interest from the industry evident by over forty sponsors! This year’s conference was attended by a record 670 participants, representing nations worldwide, with 6 keynotes, 61 selected talks and 276 posters.

 

 

 

 

The programme was divided into four parallel sessions, with a plenary meeting each day and up to three keynotes. Keeping up with the EUROoCS tradition of placing young investigators in the spotlight, the parallel sessions were co-chaired by early-career researchers and members of EUROoCS. The first keynote by Prof Dan Huh of University of Pennsylvania, a pioneer in the field, on Microengineered Biomimicry of Human Physiological Systems.In the plenary session, EUROoCS Chair Prof Andries van der Meer presented the landmark International Roadmap for Organ-on-Chip Standardization, which represents perhaps the most comprehensive policy document entailing the steps to standardize organ-on-chip design and fabrication (for full news article, click here).

The parallel sessions were organized by subject matter, including tumour models, barrier-based models, musculoskeletal systems, biosensors, immune systems with exciting talks on novel OoC models, sensing applications and diverse biomaterials. As in the years before, this year’s edition also hosted the EUROoCS Academy, organized by the EUROoCS training working group, which introduced selected participants to topics such as the use of stem cells to general organ-specific models, in-line sensing and regulatory requirements to translate novel models to industry. A similar theme was present in the keynote address of Prof. Ivan Martin who lectured on how his research revolves around developing human 3D organotypic culture systems for tissue regeneration and disease modelling. Prof. Liesbet Geris’ keynote address took this another step further by discussing how in vitro and in silico tools could be merged to develop a virtual human twin, based on results from OoC models.

EUROoCS2024 introduced seven different national OoC initiatives, which included the hDMT Organ on Chip Consortium from Netherlands, SiOC from Italy, Center of Excellence in Body on Chip Research from Finland, the Portugal Organ on Chip Initiative, Organ on Chip Technologies Network from the UK, Project OrChESTRA from Turkey and F3OCI from France, with many state-of-the-art innovative projects under development.

EUROoCS2024 was unique in the aspect that it involved all the various stakeholders of OoC research, not just academia. In line with that, Sonja Beken of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) 3R Working Group, gave a keynote address about the roadmap towards Regulatory Acceptance of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) in the Development and Approval of Pharmaceuticals. Such was also the focus of the Round Table discussions as well, which explored not just the use of OoCs for testing of medicinal products but also on the use of microphysiological systems in space research. This was also the topic of the keynote address by Kimberly Homan, who represented the industry giant Genentech and talked about the need of developing drugs using novel OoC platforms. Indeed, Prof Yaakov Nahmias’ keynote address gave the participants a snapshot of how drug testing is being done using bionic human microtissues with electronic sensors.

 

 

 

 

No conference is complete without an opportunity to bring the smartest minds together in a rather jovial and relaxed environment, and Milan is not short of incredible venues for such an ambience. Keeping that in mind, the social dinner was organized at the historic National Museum of Science and Technology Leonardo da Vinci. Participants were given the opportunity for not just networking but also to explore the largest collection of the works of Leonardo da Vinci, under a guided tour.
This year was also the time of making connections for the members of the four Working Groups of EUROoCS who met in person, as a break from online meetings, to plan and strategize the routine working of the society and to prepare for the next year’s conference, which will be held in collaboration with the Microphysiological Systems World Summit (MPS) in Brussels, Belgium.
All good things must come to an end, and like that EUROoCS2024 was concluded on the 5th of July with closing remarks from the conference chairs Marco Rasponi and Paola Occhetta. Important contributions were acknowledged and praised by awards, this time divided into junior and senior categories. The best poster award in the junior category was shared by Shima Salehi and Mattia Ballerini, with Valentin Wegner as a close runners-up. The best poster award in the senior category went to Julia Roosz, with Nuria Roldan coming in second and Niels Van Ingen in third. The best oral presentation award in the junior category went to Manuel Carrasco Yagüe, with Henrique Nogueira Pinto and Andrew I Morrison in second and third respectively. The same award in the senior category was awarded to Andrea Mainardi, with Mara Lucchetti in second and the third place shared by Yael Bardoogo and Mar Cóndor.

As we wrap up this year’s event, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the local organizers for their incredible effort and dedication in making it a great success. Your hard work and enthusiasm have truly shone through. We look forward to seeing you all next year at the iMPSS in Brussels. Until then, thank you and see you soon!


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Digital lectures: Andries van der Meer (17 September 2024)

We are excited to announce that Andries van der Meer will present the recently published CEN-CENELEC Focus Group Organ-on-Chip Standardization Roadmap at the upcoming EUROoCS Digital Meeting!

This roadmap is a significant milestone, marking the first step towards developing an ISO standard for Organ-on-Chip technology. It highlights a crucial advancement in harmonizing and advancing this innovative field, developed with extensive input from European experts. This collaborative effort sets the stage for future developments and standardization initiatives.

📅 Date: September 17, 2024
🕔 Time: 17:00 – 18:00 CET

This presentation will be the first EUROoCS digital lecture after the summer holidays, and we can’t wait to kick off the series with such an important topic.

Registration: please register for the digital meeting using this link or use the QR code in the picture.

We look forward to your participation in the lecture series and the insightful discussions it promises to generate!

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Launch international Organ-on-Chip Standardization Roadmap at EUROoCS 2024 – First Step Towards ISO Standard?

logo with text 'EUROoCS Conference 2024' projected on a globe

On the first day of the conference of the European Organ-on-Chip Society (EUROoCS) from July 3-5 2024 in Milan, the international Organ-on-Chip Standardization Roadmap has officially been launched. Andries van der Meer (UTwente and hDMT, The Netherlands), chair of the Focus Group Organ-on-Chip (FG OoC) and also chair of EUROoCS presented the roadmap for the more than 600 participants worldwide in the Aula Magna of Politecnico di Milano.

After 2 years of hard work by 120 European experts, 10 focus group meetings, 90 working group (WG) meetings, and 3 revisions, the final version of the roadmap for Organ-on-Chip standardization is ready. The roadmap can be downloaded here

Organs-on-Chips (OoC) are microfluidic devices, containing small samples of healthy or diseased tissues from one or more organs cultured in controlled smart microenvironments. The cells behave much as they would in the organ in which they are normally found. They can thus simulate body functions. Standardization is important for the further development of this field and NEN is closely involved, in particular by running the secretariat of the Focus Group Organ-on-Chip (FG OoC) and the Dutch expert group Organ-on-Chip.

 

Recommendations

The key recommendations in the roadmap are:

  • Develop standard documents that provide harmonized terminology and definitions for important items and symbols in the OoC domain, especially including the relevant terms described in the roadmap.
  • Work on defining minimum reporting requirements for cells and biomaterials used in OoC systems. Do this in accordance with existing initiatives in this field.
    Develop comprehensive standard documents that address the key technical aspects of OoC systems.
  • Evaluate how OoC is already covered in other laboratory practices and regulatory frameworks and identify where a specific standardization approach is needed.
  • Develop documentation that outlines the specific requirements for experimental design and data management in OoC studies where these gaps are identified. Develop a framework for the qualification of OoC models and their data for specific contexts of use.
  • Develop documentation that outlines the specific requirements for the use of OoC devices in various application domains and facilitate and promote the use of OoC-based methods for specific applications.

Click image to download Roadmap

 

ISO Standard?

Now that the standardization needs in the field of Organ-on-Chip have been identified, the FG OoC advises submitting the work program for adoption to ISO. By choosing standardization at the international ISO level, stakeholders recognize the broad global interest in OoC standardization and the various initiatives already underway. This acknowledges the global value chain for OoC technologies and ensures that standards are developed with input from stakeholders worldwide. This promotes innovation, interoperability, and safety in a rapidly changing field. By leveraging international expertise and perspectives, these standards can promote harmonization, facilitate regulatory compliance, and accelerate the translation of OoC research into impactful applications for healthcare, drug discovery, and more. Simultaneously, it advises establishing the creation of a CENCENELEC Technical Committee to coordinate European interests and to keep an eye on alignment with European regulations.

Organization

The need for standardization in Organ-on-Chip (OoC) was recognized by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, the European Committee for Standardization, and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CEN and CENELEC), supported by the European Organ-on-Chip Society (EUROoCS). This resulted in a Putting Science Into Standards (PSIS) workshop ‘Organ-on-Chip: Towards Standardization’ in April 2021. In March 2022, the Focus Group Organ-on-Chip (FG OoC) was established with Andries van der Meer as chairman and NEN (Netherlands Standardization Institute) as secretariat.

Join the Organ-on-Chip Expert Group

The Dutch Expert Group Organ-on-Chip follows the work of the European Focus Group Organ-on-Chip and coordinates the Dutch input. The expert group also connects various Dutch stakeholders and provides a platform for exchange of (international) knowledge and experiences. If you are a stakeholder in this field and would like to be involved in the development of possible standards, please become a member of our expert group. There are no costs associated with this membership.

More Information?

If you would like more information on the subject, or if you are considering becoming a member of the expert group, please contact Suzie Noten (suzie.noten@nen.nl) or Lysette Meuleman (lysette.meuleman@nen.nl).

Source: NEN / CENELEC

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EUROoCS2024 Early bird registration deadline extended to May 1st!

The EUROoCS Annual Conference organizers have announced an extension of the Early Bird Registration deadline until May 1st. This provides prospective attendees with additional time to secure their participation in the prestigious event. Scheduled to take place in Milano, Italy, from July 3rd to July 5th, 2024, the conference offers a platform for industry leaders and peers to engage in critical discussions shaping the future of the industry.

For detailed information and registration, interested individuals are encouraged to visit the annual meeting website.

The conference promises a rich agenda featuring insightful presentations, networking opportunities, and discussions on cutting-edge developments. Prospective attendees are urged to act promptly and register before May 1st to take advantage of the extended early bird registration period.

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EUROoCS Announces Upcoming Digital Lectures on Cutting-Edge Organ-on-Chip Research

The European Organ-on-Chip Society (EUROoCS) is set to host a series of digital lectures on April 23rd, from 17:00 to 18:00 CET, featuring prominent researchers in the field of organ-on-chip (OoC) technologies.

Cecilia Palma, from Politecnico di Milano, will lead a session titled “A Compartmentalized Joint-on-Chip Model to Unravel the Contribution of Cartilage and Synovium to Osteoarthritis Pathogenesis.” Palma is renowned for her work in developing OoC platforms to model articular joints. Her research focuses on joint-related pathologies, including osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, with the goal of uncovering unknown disease mechanisms.

Joining her is Dr. ir. José Manuel Rivera Arbelaéz, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Twente’s Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science (EEMCS). Dr. Rivera Arbelaéz is part of the BIOS Lab on a chip group and Applied Stem Cell Technologies (AST), contributing to the Netherlands Organ-on-Chip Initiative (NOCI). His lecture, “Versatile and Modular Approach for Engineering and Analyzing Three-Dimensional Cardiac Tissues Using Human Pluripotent Stem Cells (hPSC),” will delve into his research on developing Heart-on-Chip models for drug discovery and disease modeling.

Lastly, Alessandra Grillo, a recent PhD graduate from the Centre for 3D Models of Health and Disease at UCL, will present her work on “Modelling the Distal Nephron with Organ-on-Chip for the Study of Renal Electrolyte Disorders.” Alessandra’s research now focuses on the renal reabsorption of inorganic nitrate and its impact on blood pressure, as well as the development of an in vitro model of the collecting duct using OoC systems.

These lectures are part of EUROoCS’s commitment to advancing the field of OoC and fostering collaboration among researchers. The sessions promise to provide valuable insights into the latest developments and applications of OoC technologies in disease modeling and drug discovery.

Please sign up to attend the lecture here.

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EUROoCS2024 Registration Now Open!

The EUROoCS2024 Conference is a scientific meeting fostering worldwide delegates active in the field of organs-on-chip and microphysiological systems. EUROoCS2024 will showcase the latest scientific advancements in the field and favour discussions on technological, industrial and regulatory challenges/opportunities. Topics such as (multi)-organ and disease models, organoids-on-chip, PK/PD modelling, technology platforms, read-out assays, standardization and qualification and toxicity among others, will be addressed.

Key Details:

  • Date: July 3-5, 2024
  • Location: Milan, Italy

 

What to Expect:

Scientific Excellence: EUROoCS2024 will showcase the latest scientific breakthroughs related to (multi)-organ and disease models, organoids-on-chip, PK/PD modeling, technology platforms, read-out assays, standardization, qualification, and toxicity assessment.
Interactive Sessions: Engage in parallel scientific sessions, interactive poster presentations, and thematic round tables.
Networking Opportunities: Connect with experts, collaborators, and fellow enthusiasts.
Keynote Speakers: We’re thrilled to have distinguished speakers, including:

    • Dr. Kimberly Homan (Genentech, Inc., USA)
    • Dr. Dan Huh (University of Pennsylvania, USA)
    • Dr. Sonja Beken (Belgian Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products)
    • Dr. Ivan Martin (University Hospital Basel, Switzerland)
    • Dr. Liesbet Geris (University of Liège and KU Leuven, Belgium)
    • Dr. Yaakov Nahmias (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel)

 

For more information and registration go to website.

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Digital lectures: Gianni Ciofani (28 March 2024)

Join us for the upcoming EUROoCS digital meeting on March 28th, where we will delve into the fascinating realm of biomimetic barriers-on-a-chip for modeling the brain cancer microenvironment. Our esteemed speaker, Dr. Gianni Ciofani, will guide us through this innovative approach, shedding light on its potential applications and implications.

Speaker: Gianni Ciofani, Ph.D.
Subject: Biomimetic barriers-on-a-chip for the modeling of the brain cancer microenvironment
Date: March 28th
Time: 17:00-18:00 CET

Bio:
Gianni Ciofani, Ph.D., is Research Director at the Italian Institute of Technology, where he is Principal Investigator of the Smart Bio-Interfaces Research Line and Coordinator of the Center for Materials Interfaces (Pontedera, Italy). His main research interests concern smart nanomaterials for nanomedicine, complex in vitro models, and nanomedicine in altered gravity conditions. He author of about 180 papers on international journals, and coordinator or unit leader of several projects: in particular, he was awarded a European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant and three ERC Proof-of-Concept Grant in 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2023, respectively. Thanks to grants from the Italian Space Agency and the European Space Agency, he had the opportunity to carry out experiments onboard the International Space Station in 2017, 2019, 2022, and 2024.

Registration: please register for the digital meeting using this link or use the QR code in the picture.

We look forward to your participation in the lecture series and the insightful discussions it promises to generate!

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Digital lectures: EUROoCS young investigators

EUROoCS Digital Meeting: Insights from Young Investigators!

Mark your calendars! The second EUROoCS digital meeting is just around the corner, and it promises to be an enlightening experience. Join us on Tuesday, February 27th, from 17:00 to 18:00 CET for a captivating session featuring three inspiring talks from brilliant young investigators in the field of Organs-on-Chips.

Featured Speakers:

  1. Julia Alicia Boos (ETH Zürich, Basel)
    • Topic: Microfluidic Tools to Recapitulate the Maternal-Fetal Interface In Vitro
    • Julia Alicia Boos is a postdoctoral researcher at the Bioengineering laboratory at ETH Zürich in Basel. With a background in Biotechnology, she specialized in developing in-vitro barrier models and technology platforms. Her research focuses on establishing multi-tissue systems to assess embryotoxicity effects at the maternal-fetal interface. Working in multidisciplinary projects, she aims to bring human-based model systems closer to practical implementations.
  2. Joris Kaal (CEA Leti, Grenoble)
    • To finish a double degree in fluid mechanics and industrial design, Joris did his Master thesis as chip development engineer at TissUse GmbH. As Organs-on-Chip struck his interest he moved on to be Organ-on-Chip research engineer for the semi-conductor RTO called CEA Leti in France. This allowed him to participate in the development of chips for a wide range of different applications. He seeks to contribute to the advancement of OoCs with an interest in open-sourcing, platform products and collaboration.
  3. Merve Bulut (LUMC, Leiden)
    • Topic: 3D vessels-on-chip to model inflammatory responses using hiPSC-derived vascular cells and monocytes
    • Merve Bulut is a PhD candidate in the Orlova group at the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands. She obtained her BSc. in Molecular biology (2016) in Ankara, Turkiye, and her MSc. in Regenerative Biology (2018) in Dresden, Germany. Her involvement in the MPS field began during her MSc. thesis work in Prof. Dr. Olivier T. Guenat’s group in Bern, Switzerland. There, she focused on developing a Vessel-on-a-Chip (VoC) platform to study the effect of respiratory cyclic stretch on in vitro pulmonary vascularization. In 2019, she joined Dr. Valeria Orlova’s group to pursue her PhD research as an early stage researcher in Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks (MSCA-ITN) for advancing Organ-on-a-chip technology in Europe (EUROoC). She has been working on developing 3D in vitro models of human vasculature using human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived vascular and immune cells, along with advanced microfluidic techniques. Her primary research focus is modelling human inflammatory responses and leukocyte interaction with vascular cells in healthy and diseased conditions.

Don’t miss this golden opportunity to gain insights from these remarkable researchers! Whether you’re a seasoned scientist or just starting your journey in the field, their expertise will leave you inspired and informed.

Please register for the meeting here.

Update: If the previous link is not working you can also register by going to the webex event. The address will lead you to the webinar, via which a registration option will be available.