The development of an organ on a chip platform.

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Aim:To design and develop a low cost Organ On a Chip platform that can be 3D printed using an Ultimaker 2plus. This platform must be powered using batteries as it considers the use in 3rd world countries where power cuts may occur often.Key research questions: How to seal the enclosure to ensure a 70 per cent CO2 environment?How to utilize the space within the enclosure to ensure all components fit, due to the size constraint as the aim is to use an Ultimaker 2+ 3D printing machine?Investigate various methods/materials to ensure the cells can be analysed under a microscope.Which coding platform will be used to control the sensors and pump (Arduino or Raspberry pie)?Will a GUI (Graphical User Interface) be needed to display the ambient environment within the enclosure, or to control the pump?Which power system will be used to allow the platform to last for more than 30 consecutive days?Brief methodology:Initially, design requirements and specifications must be outlined in order to construct quantitative statements to guide the design process. Subsequently, as stated in the abstract, the current Organ on a Chip platforms will be evaluated against these design specifications to analyse the effectiveness and limitations of each system. Conceptual designs will be assessed by using a weighted decision matrix to select an effective design to fabricate. Prior to fabrication, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) can be used to visualise and investigate the effects of the fluid flow (microfluidics flow), and the pressure applied on the design. The material selection of the heating pad, enclosure and the chip itself will be conducted in conjunction with the design embodiment. The material considered must be able to withstand the heat pad, affordable and transparent. Having achieved the optimal design with the most effective material, the enclosure can be fabricated using the Ultimaker 2+ 3D printing machine, as this machine is affordable and available at the Partnership University in Uganda. The prototype will be tested using the correct working conditions of cell culture in order to appraise the effectiveness of the Organ on a Chip platform against the design specifications and objectives.In conjunction with the enclosure design other factors of the platform must be investigated, these include; Which sensors will be used (Temperature, humidity, PH levels)?The pumping mechanism.The hot plate that the chip will sit on.Where the waste will be kept for further testing.The chip design and the fabrication method. This is crucial due to the cell visualization limitations that 3D printing has. The cell culture must be enclosed in a clear enclosure so it can be analsysed under a microscope.Once a full working platform has been achieved, further investigations regarding the cell culture scaffolding will be conducted. Metrigel and Collagen scaffolds could be considered to grow breast cancer cells.