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.

Advantages 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 but have not (yet) been adopted by the Organ-on-Chip (OoC) world.

Project Objective

The objective of the present project proposal is to alter this scenario. 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 devices will be used for:

1. Cell co-cultures with the aim to better simulate different organ tissues.
2. (Bio)sensors integration with the aim of on-site/continuous monitoring of cells' status/response to stimuli.
3. Performing accurate pharmacological studies.

New Technology Introduction

The main new idea is the introduction of a technology that can deliver a versatile set of electrochemical devices with new functionalities. It will be possible to create 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 are from 5 EU (associated) countries (Italy, Sweden, Spain, Serbia) and 1 non-EU member: Switzerland. They are renowned experts in the world on paper-based biosensors, in vitro/vivo studies, modeling, microfluidics, biomaterials, and joint tissue engineering.