Addressing key challenges in biomedical research
Biomedical research today faces significant hurdles: lengthy development timelines, high costs and reliance on animal models that often fail to accurately predict human responses.
“These obstacles highlight the urgent need for new physiological and pathophysiological models that better represent human reactions to treatments," explains Camille Laporte, a bioengineering researcher at CEA-Leti. “Organoids-on-chip provide a promising solution by partially replicating organ functions in a controlled microenvironment."
One of the most significant advances in this field was the successful vascularization of organoids within microfluidic chips. Emily Tubbs, a researcher at CEA-Irig, explains:
“We recently managed to vascularize an organoid in vitro by using a microfluidic platform that simulates blood flow. This enabled the physiological development of this 3D structure, which is derived from human stem cells. It's a very promising achievement for regenerative medicine, personalized therapies and pharmacological research."
Integrating cutting-edge sensor technology
Beyond the biological breakthrough, the integration of sensors into these platforms is a game-changer. CEA-Leti's expertise in microtechnology has enabled the incorporation of advanced electrochemical and optical sensors directly within the chip.
“Sensors are useful for monitoring the viability and function of organoids," says Yohann Thomas, an expert in electrochemical sensors at CEA-Leti. “Embedding these sensors as close as possible to the organoid presents challenges in biocompatibility, performance and robustness."
One example of this innovative sensor technology is the Galathée chip, a high-tech module developed at CEA-Leti.
“Galathée combines microfluidics, biology and sensor technology into a single module, making it a powerful tool for real-time analysis of organoids-on-chip," adds Yohann Thomas.
The future of organoids-on-chip
CEA-Leti and CEA-Irig are committed to advancing this technology even further.
“The convergence of technology and biology for organoids-on-chip is just beginning," explains Fabrice Navarro, head of the microsystems research unit at CEA-Leti. “The next step is to implement new sensors and monitoring techniques, as well as new biological functions such as immune cells, to fully exploit the vast potential of these models. The data we can extract from them will be invaluable for both research and clinical applications."
In France alone, nearly 48 million euros have already been invested over the next six years to push the limits of this innovative technology. As organoids-on-chip become a real potential for the healthcare system, CEA-Leti and CEA-Irig are continuing to push the boundaries of this new frontier in order to develop transformative tools that promise to revolutionize drug testing, disease modeling, and ultimately, patient care.