Grant: Collaborative Health Research Projects (NSERC partnered)

Current preclinical models in a large part fail to accurately portray human physiology . On one hand, traditional tissue culture in which cells are grown in monolayer do not recapitulate the complex heterogeneity of 3D organs. On the other hand, animal models such as rodents lack many specific biological features that are unique to humans. Because the models we are using to study human disease and predict drug responses are inaccurate, it is inevitable that the predictions made will be similarly inaccurate. This observation is reflected in the current drug discovery pipeline, as many drugs that are tested using monolayer culture and animal models fail in clinical trials due to unforeseen complexities in human patients. To address this issue, we are seeking to develop a next generation preclinical model of human disease that accurately recapitulates human physiology. To do this, we link up artificial organ tissues derived from human stem cells to living blood vessels. We then deliver through the blood vessels nutrients and drug compounds in the same manner that they are delivered in the human body. The artificial organs in our system directly mimic physiological organs in terms of morphology, function, and environment thus serving as a powerful tool for drug testing. To establish our platform, we have gathered a diverse team of academic researchers including experts in health research and engineering and several private sector partners. Together, we will harness our platform to develop sophisticated models of the brain and gut as well as advanced imaging frameworks to monitor drug responses in real time. Considering our team and expertise, we are thus uniquely poised to drastically improve preclinical drug testing efficiency not only in Canada but also for global drug discovery pipelines which as the potential to scientifically improve human health.