3D bio-printing model tissues for targeted discovery in the agri-tech sector

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Engineering Multiscale Biohybrid Tissues as Insect Gut Permeability Models: Increased agricultural output will be essential for ensuring global food security in the 21st century. Agrochemicals such as insecticides are a major tool that helps achieve this aim by minimising the loss of crops to various pests. The design of next generation agrochemicals that can selectively function against specific pests whilst minimising effects in pollinators and other beneficial species is therefore of significant interest. One of the main roadblocks limiting the development of such molecules and formulations is the lack of easily accessible model systems that mimic a key permeability barrier: the insect gut. We propose to combine model membrane engineering, 3D bioprinting and rapid prototyping to build a series of permeability models that vary in complexity, from simple lipid bilayers assembled in user-defined configurations to the construction of 3D bioprinted architectures containing insect gut cell lines. This will allow us to decouple insecticide - membrane interactions from higher order effects, such as the role of gut morphology, before finally introducing protein-based active transport processes. By testing the permeation behaviour of insecticides and formulation adjuvants across these model systems, we will gain an improved understanding of the key transport properties and mechanisms of different compound classes, providing new insights into next generation insecticide development and formulation design.