Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS
Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS

TECH-MPS

Technology Platform for Modular Microphysiological Systems

Project Description

Heart failure is one of the leading causes of death and reduced quality of life. It often develops as a consequence of ischemic heart disease or after a myocardial infarction (MI). Since there are currently no effective drugs available to limit myocardial damage, and because many compounds that showed promise in animal studies have failed in clinical trials, there is an urgent need for human model systems that enable the identification of new therapeutic approaches.

The TECH-MPS project addresses this challenge by establishing an in vitro MI simulation platform based on human cardiac tissue models within a microphysiological system (MPS). Advances in human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology have enabled the integration of various cell types (cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells) as a cardiac microenvironment on a single chip. This creates the potential to develop preclinical models with high cellular precision. Cell-based assays (2D and 3D cultures) using iPSCs provide a powerful platform for investigating molecular pathomechanisms and for drug testing on patient-specific tissue models. In particular, when combined with MPS technology, iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes and engineered heart tissues (EHTs) are ideally suited to simulate the hypoxia and reperfusion injury associated with MI. This provides a realistic foundation for studying disease mechanisms and developing new therapeutic strategies.

The project consists of several subcomponents involving the development of:
a) a modular microfluidic construction kit system,
b) a smart control platform, and
c) a digital twin.

The functionality and applicability of the platform will be demonstrated using innovative methods for investigating the pathomechanisms of human cardiac muscle tissue.

Schematic representation of the project objectives. Modular MPS are developed together with smart controllers and characterized by cell-based assays. In order to draw conclusions and create models for the processes from the data, all project partners are connected to the digital twin.
© Fraunhofer IWS
Schematic representation of the project objectives. Modular MPS are developed together with smart controllers and characterized by cell-based assays. In order to draw conclusions and create models for the processes from the data, all project partners are connected to the digital twin.