Description

React4life and AZAR Innovations jointly organise an Organ-on-a-chip MasterClass with the theme Oncology and cancer models.

TARGET GROUP: Biologists and non-technical biomedical scientists from around the world who wish to:

• Get started with organs-on-chips, or
• Gain more theoretical and hands-on experience with these systems.

Date: 1-2 March 2023
Location: React4life, BIC-FILSE, Genoa, Italy

The fee includes lunch, drinks, snacks and refreshments on both days.
Attention: This is an in-person event and Corona measures in Italy applies.

This MasterClass consists of:

1. Lectures by AZAR Innovations

• • Organ-on-a-chip designs and configurations: helps participants choose or design an organ-on-a-chip system
  • Organ-on-a-chip components: enables participants independently choose and implement different components and modules in an organ-on-a-chip system
  • Organ-on-a-chip operation: simple but important know-hows about preparation, cell seeding, microfluidic theories and troubleshooting methods (e.g. bubbles and leakages)
  • Commercial Organ-on-chips: help participants choose the right system, organ-on-a-chip companies and resources

   —

2. Hands-on lab sessions by AZAR Innovations

• • Set up Organ on chips: learn about different perfusion methods, learn how to connect different components, learn how to prepare chips and seed cells in the chips.
  • Operate Organ on chips: tips & tricks, must-know practical information, troubleshoot problems

   —

3. Hands-on lab sessions with commercial products

CELLEC BIOTEK AG develops and commercializes perfusion-based bioreactor systems for 3D cell culture. The resulting tissues are used as advanced models of development, physiology, pathology, and drug testing, and prospectively as engineered grafts for tissue and organ regeneration.

InSphero sets the standard for in vitro testing of novel drugs in the pharmaceutical industry. Founded in 2009, InSphero’s patent-pending technologies and methods enable large-scale, reproducible production of scaffold-free 3D microtissues for application in the field of liver safety, metabolic disease, and immune oncology. In recent years, innovative organ-on-chip concepts for automation-compatible multi-organ experiments have been presented, elevating in vitro testing to a next level of physiological relevance.

Jobst Technologies is the global competence and performance leader for biosensor monitoring applications. The microfluidic operation of the multi-parametric sensor systems allows for real-time monitoring and control of metabolic parameters (Lactate, Glucose, Glutamine) critical for organ on a chip systems.

Microfluidic ChipShop is one of the leading microfluidic products and service providers. A unique feature of the company is its catalogue with a huge variety of off-the-shelf microfluidic components and systems, allowing a low-cost rapid access to lab-on-a-chip technologies, such as Organ-on-Chip.

React4life is an Italian biotech company which patented MIVO® (Multi In Vitro Organ).
This cutting-edge microphysiological system enables researchers to overcome the limits of current in vitro assays and animal models. It improves the reliability and predictivity of several applications: pharmaceutical drug-testing, personalized medicine, novel immuno-oncology therapies, cosmetics, dermatology, and nutraceutical.

4. Expert views (online)

Prof. Emad Moeendarbary
Professor of Cell Mechanics and Mechanobiology
Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
University College London
London, UK

Dr. Fabrizio Mattei
Group leader & Senior Investigator
Co-founder SIOOC (Italian Society for Organs-on-chip)
Department of Oncology and Molecular Medicine
Istituto Superiore di Sanità
Rome, Italy

5. Organ-on-a-chip Challenge

• • Design an Organ on a chip: Working in a group, you will be given a problem to solve. We will help you understand important aspects in every step of the way, and through this, you will learn the important factors from the design to validation of an organ-on-a-chip system.
  • Work in a group: You will learn tips & tricks, and useful information from your peers through instructed sessions.

We are aware that you will need support for your organ-on-a-chip activities after the MasterClass. That is why AZAR Innovations offers online consulting to the Organ-on-a-chip MasterClass participants up to 1 year after the event.

Cannot attend this event? Then fill in this form to know about future Organ on a chip MasterClasses as soon as they are planned.

You can find more information about MasterClasses here.