The innovative device contains a 3D bioprinted channel with structures that mimic intestinal villi and reproduce the compartments of the intestinal mucosa. For the first time, electrodes have been incorporated into the system to monitor the formation of the intestinal barrier in real time. The device is highly versatile and has potential applications in disease modelling and drug screening.
The project focuses on developing a chip that will serve as a model for testing new drugs to treat neuroblastoma, a childhood brain cancer. The research has received €200,000 in funding and is led by Aránzazu Villasante, Senior Researcher at IBEC.
The Molecular and cellular neurobiotechnology group with the collaboration of the Nanobioengineering group, both of them at IBEC, have applied a new light-stimulated technique to modulate muscular activity and stimulate cell regeneration of the peripheral nervous system.Thanks to this research they have discovered that muscle activity can activate the neurons and accelerate their regeneration after an injury.