One of the most active interests of IBEC consist of building biological models to study human diseases and the response to treatments, what increases our understanding of the disease before progressing to animal testing. IBEC is an active developer of new in vitro models and organ-on-a-chip using microfluidic platforms, organoids and in vivo models of different diseases and for a variety of purposes.
- In vitro models:
- Platforms: primary cultures, cortical stem cells, cortical organoids. Organotypic culture.
- Ex vivo implantation platform (3DEX): near-physiological environment that recapitulates the main morphological and molecular features of in utero implantation and allows direct imaging of the process.
- IMPLATFORM: microfluidic implantation platform, ex vivo embryo culture platform to foster post-implantation development of human embryos.
- Human Plasma-Derived Protein Supplement to Improve Embryo Culture and Promote Embryo Implantation
- Cardiac tissue models from iPSC.
- 3D culture of myoblasts in photo-cross linkable composite hydrogels for in-vitro myogenesis.
- Micro-encapsulation of beta-cells like from human skin fibroblast
- 3D micro liver models using hepatocytes and stellate cells for compound testing. Models: NAFL, NAFLD, NASH
- Evaluation and optimization of biomaterials for cell encapsulation and cell scaffolds. Models: pancreatic beta cells, hepatocytes, retinal cells
- Full experimental characterization of epithelial dynamics and cell biomechanics. Models: tissue growth, wound healing, cancer cell invasion.
- Study interaction between epithelial cancer cells and Cancer Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs) for cancer cell invasion and metastasis.
- Engineering epithelial shape and mechanics of cell-cell interfaces from the bottom up
- 3D Models of the Intestinal Epithelium for permeability studies of oral compounds, Biochemical Gradients In Vitro and Cell Compartmentalization and Intestinal Host–Pathogen studies.
- In vitro drug testing analysis in 3D models of intestinal epithelial models
- Models of plasmodia or protozoa infection at different stages of the pathogen, for malaria and leishmaniosis.
- Organ-on-a-chip models:
- Development of organs-on-chips, including the microfluidic platform for models of Heart, Skin, Vessels, Bone, Angiogenesis, Muscle, Progenitor cell recruitment.
- Development of standardized approaches to use patient derived organoids for personalized cancer treatment.
- Organ-on-a-Chip calibration for drug testing. Models available: NAFL, NAFLD, NASH; DM1, DMD (muscle organoids), chronic fatigue, sarcopenia and healthy human muscle.
- Human skeletal muscle integrated with amperometric biosensors for electrical and chemical stimuli. Models of DM1, DMD (muscle organoids), chronic fatigue, sarcopenia and healthy human muscle.
- Organoids:
- Organoids available for research and drug testing. Cortical, Kidney, Retina, Muscle, Heart, Skin, Liver, Pancreas, Intestine, Spinal Cord, Bladder cancer and colorectal cancer.
- Mechanical and functional studies of organoids grown on hydrogels. Validated on kidney organoids.
- Genome editing and molecular studies validated on Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell (iPSC) derived organoids.
- In vivo models:
- Mice models of Parkinson´s, Alzheimer´s diseases and human tauopathies (male and female). Ad hoc development of Parkinson and tauopathy models based on adenoviral delivery
- Plasmodium infected BALB/c Mice asmodels of malaria infection.
- Zebrafish model for optokinetic studies.