Dr. Hossein Eslami Amirabadi

Co-founder, Scientist, Managing Director Hossein is the founder of AZAR Innovations. Working with organs on chips since 2013, his passion is to enable biomedical scientists use New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) more efficiently. He received his PhD in Biomedical/Mechanical Engineering in 2018 in the group of prof. Jaap den Toonder at Eindhoven University of Technology. He then joined the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) in collaboration with the department of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Utrecht University to develop intestine, intestine-microbiome and multi-organ on a chip models for pharmaceutical applications. Leading the technical developments at TNO, Hossein and his colleagues invented the Intestinal Explant Barrier Chip (IEBC) currently used for contract research services. Seeing a gap between different disciplines, Hossein founded AZAR Innovations in 2021 with the aim to make organ on a chip available for everybody.

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Emre Dilmen, MSc

Co-founder, Scientist, Science Director Emre is a researcher focused on advanced research models to study kidney (patho)physiology in vitro. He uses pluripotent stem cell derived organoids and adult progenitor/stem cell derived tubuloids to mimic and understand the kidney in vitro. In addition, he is exploring how combining these organoid models with organ-on-a-chip models can provide the optimal research tools to increase translational value. With 4 years of organoid and organ-on-a-chip experience, he brings valuable biological insights into the company.

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Prof. Roos Masereeuw

Scientific director Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University - Adviser Roos Masereeuw is professor of Experimental Pharmacology at Utrecht University. The work of Prof Roos Masereeuw and her research group focuses on understanding the path ways that can be pharmacologically triggered to enhance repair and regeneration processes after organ injury. For this, humanized in vitro systems are being applied that functionally mimic (patients) organs. It includes the use of innovative technologies for 3-dimensional advanced tissue cultures such as organs-on-chips. Masereeuw aims to develop new regenerative treatments and innovations in functional and safe replacement therapies for failing organs.

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Prof. Jaap den Toonder

Chair Microsystems group, Eindhoven University of Technology - Adviser Jaap den Toonder is full professor and Chair of the Microsystems research Section at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e). His group focuses its research on the investigation and development of innovative technological concepts and fabrication methods for microsystems fora wide range of applications. The application focus is on microfluidic chips, biomedical microdevices, and soft micro-robotics. Jaap’s main personal research interests are microfluidics, mechanical properties of biological cells and tissues, nature-inspired micro-actuators and organs-on-chips to understand cancer. He is one of the pioneers of artificial cilia, micro-hair like structures in the Netherlands and in the world.

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Dr. Evita van de Steeg

Senior scientist, Metabolic Health Research, Netherland organisation for applied scientific research (TNO) - Adviser Dr. van de Steeg has a PhD in Pharmacology and over 10 years’ experience in the field of cell biology, mainly in relation to DMPK (Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics), but also to study the effect and potential toxicity of drugs and nutraceuticals. She (co)authored more than 40 publications in this area, and did spend part of her PhD at the pharmaceutical company GSK. As a senior scientist at TNO, she is responsible for the development and implementation of innovative preclinical tools to better understand processes in intestine (including microbiome) and liver, amongst other organ on-a-chip applications and advanced in vitro and ex vivo laboratory models.

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