Engineered multi-well platforms integrating biochemical and biophysical cues for the functional maturation and electrophysiological monitoring of cardiac tissue models.

Introduction

Cardiovascular diseases are the major cause of mortality worldwide, making the demand for new therapies an urgent need. Additionally, unexpected cardiac adverse effects are the leading causes of discontinuation of clinical trials and withdrawal of drugs from the market.

Challenges in Current Models

Such issues could be addressed by relevant in vitro human cardiac tissue models reproducing in vivo-like pharmacological responses. However, most in vitro cardiac tissue models developed so far have been limited by:

1. Complex design to enhance cardiomyocyte maturation.
2. Poor ability to provide real-time functional assessment.

These limitations make them poorly robust, reproducible, scalable, and user-friendly.

EMPATIC Solution

In EMPATIC, I will overcome such limitations through the synergistic exploitation of biochemical and biophysical stimuli for cardiomyocyte phenotype maturation, studied in the ERC project BIORECAR (772168).

Platform Features

EMPATIC will provide a novel user-friendly and versatile multi-well plate platform for the in vitro modeling of mature functional human cardiac tissues and the non-invasive label-free monitoring of electrophysiological properties. The EMPATIC platform will combine:

(i) Tailor-designed multi-well components, imparting biochemical and biophysical cues to in vitro cultured cells, and
(ii) Bioelectronic components enabling controlled electrical stimulation (ES) and biosensing.

Collaboration and Expertise

Collaboration with major experts in bioelectronics, cardiac regenerative medicine, and electrophysiology, as well as companies, will support EMPATIC innovation.

Team Experience

My previous experience as coordinator of basic and applied research projects and co-founder of academic spin-off companies, along with the entrepreneurship experience of 50% of the EMPATIC team, will support the process of technology development and validation.