Emulate, Inc.

Michael Salmon

S Jordan Kerns

Jenifer Obrigewitch

Benjamin Richards Umiker

Geraldine A Hamilton

Catherine Karalis

Justin Nguyen

Carolina Lucchesi

Magdalena Kasendra

Remi Villenave

Buket Baddal

The present invention relates to microfluidic fluidic systems and methods for the in vitro modeling diseases of the lung and small airway. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a system for testing responses of a microfluidic Small Airway-on-Chip infected with one or more infectious agents (e.g. respiratory viruses) as a model of respiratory disease exacerbation (e.g. asthma exacerbation). In one embodiment, this disease model on a microfluidic chip allows for a) the testing of anti-inflammatory and/or anti-viral compounds introduced into the system, as well as b) the monitoring of the participation, recruitment and/or movement of immune cells, including the transmigration of cells. In particular, this system provides, in one embodiment, an in-vitro platform for modeling severe asthma as 'Severe Asthma-on-Chip.' In some embodiments, this invention provides a model of viral-induced asthma in humans for use in identifying potentially effective treatments.

Advanced pulmonary models

An in vitro microfluidic gut-on-chip is described herein that mimics the structure and at least one function of specific areas of the gastrointestinal system in vivo. In particular, a multicellular, layered, microfluidic culture is described, allowing for interactions between lamina propria-derived cells and gastrointestinal epithelial cells and endothelial cells. This in vitro microfluidic system can be used for modeling inflammatory gastrointestinal tissue, e.g., Crohn's disease, colitis and other inflammatory gastrointestinal disorders. These multicellular, layered microfluidic gut-on-chip further allow for comparisons between types of gastrointestinal tissues, e.g., small intestinal deuodejeum, small intestinal ileium, large intestinal colon, etc., and between disease states of gastrointestinal tissue, i.e. healthy, pre-disease and diseased areas. Additionally, these microfluidic gut-on-chips allow identification of cells and cellular derived factors driving disease states and drug testing for reducing inflammation.

In vitro gastrointestinal model comprising lamina propria-derived cells

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Boston, MA, United States of America

Michael Salmon