I'm Associate Professor in the HEPIA tissue-engineering laboratory (Head by Prof. Luc Stoppini) which belongs to the University of Applied Sciences West Switzerland (HES-SO). The laboratory is located at the Campus Biotech Geneva. We are a team of 10 people composed half by engineers and half by biologists. The main activity of the group is to develop <em>in vitro</em> models mostly in the field of neurobiology. We have all the facilities and knowledge to design and manufacture biochips prototypes dedicated to perfuse and monitor electrophysiological activities from 3D neural tissues derived from human iPScs.
To answer the call Horizon 2020: Next generation organ-on-chip (RIA-LS) ID: DT-NMBP-23-2020, we propose to design a platform for medium throughput screening of compounds to find new potential drugs in neurological disorders in particular in epilepsy and stroke. Several biochips will be remotely controlled in parallel and programmed to be autonomously functional. Each biochip will comprise inter-connected compartments that will allow the perfusion of brain tissues by culture medium conditioned by liver cells and transported through a Blood-Brain Barrier like co-culture system.
We are looking for partners in the domain of industrialization of functionalized Biochips (electrodes, electrochemical analyses on-chip..); cell and tissues providers, clinician in neurology, software developer; manufactory of controlled environments (incubator), regulators…