VESSELS-ON-CHIP
Using vessels-on-chips, it is possible to mimick the interaction of endothelial cells in different disease models, using chemical and mechanical stimulation. Endothelial cells can be subjected to stimuli like hypoxia or patient derived blood plasma, but also to an altering flow and perfusion. Here at AST, we work both with micro- and macrovascular models, giving a wide range of possibilities in read-outs.
Vessels-on-chip to understand COVID-19 induced intravascular coagulation
Hospitalized COVID-19 patients have acute lung injury with vasculopathy. Thromboinflammatory complications are often found. We use a vessel-on-chip to recreate the in vivo thrombotic response of COVID-19 patients on-chip, with the intention to determine differences between COVID patients, pneumonia patients and healthy donors. To recreate this response, we stimulate IPSC-derived endothelial cells with patient-derived blood plasma and perfuse the vessels afterward with whole human blood.
Funding
ZonMw MKMD COVID-19
Modeling of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension on a chip
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare disease of the small pulmonary arteries for which no cure is available yet. The goal of this project is to model aspects of PAH on a chip allowing for further investigating the disease mechanism and ultimately offering a platform for drug testing. The current approach focusses on mimicking PAH-specific endothelial dysfunction in a three-dimensional hydrogel-based vessel-on-chip using induced pluripotent stem cell-derived vascular cells.
Funding
PHAEDRA-IMPACT consortium
