Scientists are using tissue-on-chip technology to study the connection between the lungs and the brain.
This will help to shed light on the neurological effects of respiratory illnesses and develop targeted treatments.
For this, the University of Rochester has been awarded a three-year contract with substantial funding from the BARDA (Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority).
The team will focus on the development of tiny chips called “microphysiological systems (MPS).” These tissue chips will include models of human lung and brain tissue.
“This is another step toward making disease modeling and drug discovery focused from the very beginning on more complex, human-relevant systems,” said Benjamin Miller, principal investigator and a Dean’s Professor of Dermatology at Rochester.
“These chips can help make the whole drug discovery process faster,” Miller added.
Advanced microchips
These chips consist of ultrathin membranes that support 3D networks of human cells. The membranes provide a structure for the human cells to grow and interact with each other.
These chips can create a more realistic environment for studying how infections affect the cells.
Moreover, this in vitro approach allows researchers to test potential therapies without the need for animal models or human trials.
The project expands on a larger initiative at the University of Rochester called the Translational Center for Barrier Microphysiological Systems (TraCe-bMPS).
This center is focused on developing tools that can be qualified under FDA (Food and Drug Administration) to evaluate how drugs interact with the body’s barriers, such as the skin, lungs, and intestines.
Dr. James McGrath, a professor of biomedical engineering and the director of the TraCe-bMPS center, has been using microphysiological systems to study how inflammation can affect the brain.
McGrath has been particularly interested in understanding how inflammatory substances can enter the brain through the bloodstream and cause damage.
The new project will involve linking two of McGrath’s microphysiological chips. These chips are designed to mimic different organs, and by connecting them, the researchers can study how a disease or condition in one organ can affect another.
“This project will connect this ‘brain’ chip upstream of a second chip that models a common source of those injurious factors: the infected lung,” said McGrath.
Understanding long COVID
The project aims to investigate the connection between the lungs and the brain, particularly in the context of chronic symptoms that can arise from common viral infections like influenza and even COVID-19.
These symptoms include brain fog, fatigue, and persistent pain. The researchers believe that the respiratory tract, with its direct connection to the brain, plays a crucial role in developing these symptoms.
“The respiratory tract, with its cellular, humoral, and hard-wired conduits to the brain, stands as the first line of defense against emerging infectious threats from zoonotic spillovers,” said Harris Gelbard, the co-investigator, in the press release.
This tissue-on-chip technology could amplify the understanding of disease and pave the way for new treatments.
