Origami Paper-based tecHnology fOr the innovativE aNd sustaInable Organ-on-Chip devices

Introduction

Sustainability is one of the most important concepts nowadays, being able to drive activities in several sectors, namely environment preservation, society, and economy. In Analytical Chemistry, the development of sustainable devices was boosted by the introduction of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (PADs) whose advantages, however, are not only confined to the concept of sustainability.

Features of Paper-based Devices

Indeed, paper as a functional material confers unprecedented features to PADs. However, paper-based devices remain exploited as only analytical tools and have not (yet) been adopted by the Organ-on-Chip (OoC) world. The objective of the present project proposal is to alter this scenario.

Project Goals

In PHOENIX-OoC, we will radically change the OoC field by making use of paper's versatile properties and develop OoC devices using paper in origami configuration. The specific aims include:

1. Cell Co-cultures: To better simulate different organ tissues.
2. (Bio)sensors Integration: For on-site/continuous monitoring of cells' status/response to stimuli.
3. Pharmacological Studies: To perform accurate pharmacological studies.

Innovative Technology

The main new idea is the introduction of a technology that can deliver a versatile set of electrochemical devices with new functionalities. This will enable the creation of ready-to-use cell culture models for drug screenings in a custom-made manner.

Consortium Collaboration

Because OoC is a complex system with respect to PADs, partners with different and needed skills have been gathered among the most important European scientists/entities in the field required. The PHOENIX-OoC consortium brings together:

• 6 partners
• 4 Universities
• 1 research organization
• 1 industrial partner (1 SME)

These partners include 5 from 4 EU (associated) countries (Italy, Sweden, Spain, Serbia) and 1 non-EU member: Switzerland, which are renowned experts in the world on paper-based biosensors, in vitro/vivo studies, modelling, microfluidics, biomaterials, and joint tissue engineering.