Control of ECM organisation and the mechanical environment in a joint 'on a chip' device.

“芯片上器官”（OOAC）装置提供了用于多种组织（例如关节中的组织）共培养的微型化体外模型的新方法。这些工具提供了新的生理系统，用于筛选新的药物靶点，并用于疾病分层和诊断。这些设备在潜在的3D静态和动态环境中组织来自复杂组织的多种细胞类型。用于OOAC设备的有效生物支架材料的开发依赖于向特定细胞群提供精确环境线索以指导其位置和功能的能力。有序的动态纳米尺度结构（例如细胞外基质中的纤维）可以调节健康和疾病中的细胞行为。使用生物磁性策略，纤维可以以定制的方式在胶原支架中定向。了解动态环境对联合行为的作用是这些模型的基础。El Haj集团一直在开发创新方法，利用磁性纳米颗粒（MNP）在细胞培养模型中提供机械力，工业合作伙伴云母Biosystems正在将其应用于新产品DYNASREEN。然而，这种方法也可以用于组织纤维和细胞，这个学生项目的目的是建立一个新的合作，以适应技术，为OOAC模型开发有组织的矩阵。这项工作很好地补充了格拉斯哥大学Berry小组开发的新型磁性间充质干细胞球体3D模型。El Haj with Screen（QMC）最近获得了MRC UKRMP项目（2019-2023），以设计一个“芯片上的联合”，该项目与El Haj持有的现有MRC UKRMP中心保持一致，专注于工程干细胞生态位（2019-2023）。这个CDT学生将是一个对齐的项目，以调查有序矩阵和动态加载通过生物磁性方法在体外芯片设备提供的新的研究领域。学生将与我们的临床合作监督密切合作，从ROH在采购人体组织方面，并确保临床相关性和拉动。学生将与合作伙伴商业公司合作，EMULATE（MRC器官芯片项目和QMUL中心的合作伙伴）和云母Biosystems（DYNASREEN产品开发）正在设计这一领域的新产品，直接与资助项目中正在进行的活动联系起来。他们的互动将通过参观他们的研发实验室和培训使用EMULATE器官芯片和云母DYNASREEN系统。

'Organ on a chip' (OOAC) devices provide new approaches to miniaturized in vitro models for co-culture of multiple tissues such as in the joint. These tools offer new physiological systems for screening of new drug targets and for use in disease stratification and diagnostics. These devices organize multiple cell types from complex tissues in potential 3D static and dynamic environments. The development of effective biological scaffold materials for OOAC devices relies on the ability to present precise environmental cues to specific cell populations to guide their position and function.Ordered dynamic nano-scale structures such as fibres in the extracellular matrix can modulate cell behaviors in health and disease. Using biomagnetic strategies, fibres can be orientated in collagen scaffolds in a tailored way. Understanding the role of dynamic environments on joint behaviour is fundamental to these models. The El Haj group has been developing innovative approaches to utilise magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) to deliver mechanical forces in cell culture models, which is being taken forward into a new product, DYNASCREEN by an industrial partner, MICA Biosystems. However, such approaches can also be adopted for organising fibres and cells, and this student project aims to establish a new collaboration to adapt the technology to develop organised matrices for OOAC models. This work complements well the novel magnetic mesenchymal stem cell spheroid 3D models which has been developed by the Berry group in Glasgow University.El Haj with Screen (QMC) have recently been awarded an MRC UKRMP project (2019-2023) to design a 'joint-on-a-chip' which aligns with an existing MRC UKRMP Hub held by El Haj focused on Engineering the stem cell niche (2019-2023). This CDT student will be an aligned project to investigate a new research area of ordered matrices and dynamic loading delivered through biomagnetic approaches in vitro in the chip devices. The student will work closely with our clinical co-supervisor from ROH in terms of sourcing human tissues and ensuring clinical relevance and pull. The student would work with partner commercial companies, EMULATE (a partner in the MRC Organ on a chip project and QMUL centre) and MICA Biosystems (DYNASCREEN product development) who are designing new products in this area, directly linking with ongoing activity in funded projects. Their interactions will be through visits to their R&D labs and training in the use of the EMULATE organ chips and MICA DYNASCREEN systems.