brain-on-a-chip technology - european commission · vitro brain-on-a-chip technology and brain...
TRANSCRIPT
Braingineering Technologies is an innovative biotech company that provides pharmaceutical companies with drug screening
services in drug discovery and pre-clinical testing for Parkinson’s disease. Braingineering Technologies offers a new high-tech in
vitro Brain-on-a-Chip technology and brain organoid technology that increases efficiency and relevance in the drug
development process. Both technologies are based on the utilization of disease specific human induced pluripotent stem cells.
Furthermore, we make use of microfluidics devices to reduce costs and increase automation and parallelization. The benefits are
that this 3D brain technologies mimic human CNS diseases more adequately, it enables medium throughput screening, it reduces
animal testing and it ensues low costs for the customer due to less media.
Brain-on-a-Chip technology
Mini-Brain Organoids
9, Avenue des Hauts-Fourneaux; 4362 Esch-sur-Alzette; Luxembourg
Prof. Dr. Jens C. Schwamborn
Homepage: www.braingineering.lu
Email: [email protected]
1 2 3
Samples from unique existing large library
based on iPSC technology
Culture of stem cells in a 3D environment
and in dynamic conditions
Highlight and identify defective cells
Written report with results
Microfluidics plates
Population of cells (neurons, astrocytes)
Brain-on-a-Chip≈
human brain
In vitro drug screening
Human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with Parkinson’s disease specific mutations are cultivated in 3D bioreactors under
microfluidics conditions. After seeding their differentiation into brain like structures is induced. With Parkinson’s disease specific cells
we obtain phenotypes that are stronger than phenotypes in classical 2D cultures. Because of these strong phenotypes and the
multi-well approach this is an ideal set-up for drug testing.
Human induced pluripotent stem cell derived neuroepithelial stem cells
(hNESCs) are cultured under dynamic, free-floating 3D conditions. Upon
exposure to a specific cocktail of differentiation inducting signals they
differentiate into human mini-brains that are specific for the midbrain.
We obtain robust neuronal, astrocyte and oligodendrocyte differentiation.
The mini-brains reach a size of several millimetres. The obtain neurons,
in particular dopaminergic neurons, carry functional synapses and show
electrophysiological activity. Additionally, we can demonstrate the
production of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. These
mini-brains are a prefect tool for advanced drug screening and
toxicology testing.
Midbrain organoid Midbrain identity
Myelination
SynapsesNeuromelanin
Electrohysiology
Based on Lancaster et al., 2013
Monzel et al., 2016