Multi-Organoid Patterning and Fusion (MOrPF)
We have developed an approach, called Multi-Organoid Patterning and Fusion (MOrPF), for ‘up-sizing’ organoids: miniature collections of cells which mimic the behaviour of various organs and are promising tools for the study of human biology and disease. Our approach was used to culture and grow a ‘mini-airway’, the first time that a tube-shaped organoid has been developed without the need for any external support. Using a mould made of a specialised polymer, we were able to guide the size and shape of the mini-airway, grown from adult mouse stem cells, and then remove it from the mould when it reached the point where it could support itself. Whereas the organoids currently used in medical research are at the microscopic scale, the method developed by the Cambridge team could make it possible to grow life-sized versions of organs.
Microvessels on a chip
This research area focuses on developing models to recapitulate the microvasculature, and other key microenvironment factors for living cells in a fluidic device. Specifically, we apply our materials approach to study the motility of cancer cells when they interact with a vessel formed by the endothelial cells, to mimic the conditions of cancer invasion. We have also created a glomerulus-on-a-chip, for industry-relevant drug testing of kidney disease.
