Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Daniel Rodion Rathbone

David L Trumper

Minkyun Noh

Brij Mohan Bhushan

Jun Young Yoon

Organ-on-chip platforms with reduced fluid volumes include circulating fluid volumes of below 1000 μL, preferably about 500 μL or less. The platforms are adjustable for culturing cells with varied oxygen demand at various seeding densities. The platforms include at least one lane, wherein each lane includes at least one cell culture well, at least one oxygenator for fluid oxygenation, and a pump system containing at least one pump per lane. The oxygenator may include a separate fluid path for oxygenating the fluid, which allows controlling and measuring the oxygen concentration in the fluid, shortening the diffusion length, and passively diffusing oxygen. Provided are also different configurations for the oxygenator, fluid circulation in the platforms, attachment means for securing scaffolds to culture wells, and pneumatic plates.

Organ-on-chip platforms with reduced fluid volume

On-platform pumps provide greater flexibility and design freedom and are a key feature of organs-on-chip platforms. On-platform electromagnetic (EM) pumps have been developed for use with the organ-on-chip platforms. The EM pump uses electrical energy, which may be supplied by a battery, making the pump portable. The EM pump uses an EM actuator having a low energy consumption. The actuator's low energy consumption is achieved by a latching design which requires only a short pulse of energy to switch its state and where springs store some of the actuator kinetic energy, which is then recovered in the reverse stroke. This further reduces the energy consumption of the actuator. Also provided are injection-molded, single-use platforms with onboard diaphragm micro-pumps and various valve and pump geometries. The EM actuators easily integrate with these platforms, demonstrating pumping at a constant flowrate, no measurable temperature rise, and valve sealing against varying back-pressure.

Growing community of inventors

Somerville, MA, United States of America

Daniel Rodion Rathbone