Value Proposition
· Biomimetic platform of human pulmonary arterioles that enables researchers and clinicians to better understand pulmonary hypertension.
· Precisely engineered, tunable, functional, and anatomically accurate biomimetic human pulmonary microvasculature supports quantitative analysis of endothelial and smooth muscle cell communication in pulmonary hypertension and other vasculopathies.
· Biomimetic platform can be used to enhance understanding of molecular genetics, pathophysiology, and pharmacotherapeutics related to pulmonary hypertension.
· Platform for more accurate testing than animal models and 2D cultures.
Unmet Need
Pulmonary hypertension is a devastating illness with increasing frequency and no known cures. Current flat cell culture platforms do not adequately mimic the complex structure, microenvironment, and physiological functionality of small human arteries. Additionally, animal models are expensive and sometimes produce different effects than those seen in humans. Therefore, there is a strong need for human biomimetic platforms to be developed to accelerate understanding of the pathobiology of pulmonary hypertension, develop better diagnostics, and propel drug discovery.
Technology Description
Human biomimetic platforms of arterioles are needed to better understand the pathobiology of pulmonary hypertension. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have developed a precisely engineered, tunable, functional, scalable, and anatomically accurate biomimetic human pulmonary microvasculature that supports quantitative analysis of endothelial and smooth muscle cell communication in pulmonary hypertension.
Stage of Development
Next steps include clinical validation and development at scale.
Publication:
Jin, Q., Bhatta, A., Pagaduan, J. V., Chen, X., West-Foyle, H., Liu, J., ... & Romer, L. H. (2020). Biomimetic human small muscular pulmonary arteries. Science Advances, 6(13), eaaz2598.
Patent: Romer, L., Gracias, D., Pagaduan, J., Bhatta, A., Chen, Z., & Jin, Q. (n.d.). Biomimetic platforms to model vascular pathophysiology, diagnostics, and therapy.
Data Availability:
Additional data available upon request.
