3D Bioelectronic Models of Gut, Brain and Lung

Physiologically relevant in vitro human models are urgently required to bridge the gap between over-simplified 2D in vitro models and ill-suited animal models, for drug discovery and disease modelling. Bringing together principles of materials science, tissue engineering, 3D cell biology and bioelectronics, we are building advanced models of the gut, brain (neurovascular unit) and the lung. In the case of the gut and NVU, our aim is to elucidate the role of microbiota in the gut-brain axis communication, a particularly challenging system to model with lab animals. In the case of the lung, our interest is in modelling the air-liquid interface to more accurately study lung disease.<br/>Our models are based on the use of electroactive scaffolds which can host tissues, but also monitor their formation, and later their status when challenged with a pathogen or target molecule. Our strategy is to build a stromal layer with the scaffold and layer epithelial or endothelial models on top, preserving tissue stratification. Our most recent work has adapted these scaffolds to the well-known Transwell format, to allowed continued access to both apical and basal aspects.[1] As well as traditional readouts such as immunofluorescence, or biochemical analyses of media, our continuous electrical monitoring readouts from our electroactive scaffolds gives us real-time data on the tissue health.<br/><br/><br/>[1] Charalampos Pitsalidis et al., ‘Organic Electronic Transmembrane Device for Hosting and Monitoring 3D Cell Cultures’, <i>Science Advances</i> 8, no. 37 (16 September 2022): eabo4761, https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abo4761.