In-vitro model systems: from petri dish biology to organoid-on-chip microengineering

Course content

Students will gain an interdisciplinary understanding of in-vitro model systems, including aspects of biology, chemistry, physics, and engineering. They will become familiar with where and how in-vitro model systems can be useful in biomedical research and pharmaceutical development, and with the range of systems available, from the traditional to the cutting-edge. After successful completion of this module, students will be able to identify advantages and limitations of in-vitro model systems, and to select suitable systems for a given application.

Through a combination of lectures, group discussions, student talks, and practical lab visits and exercises, the following topics will be covered:

• The need for in-vitro model systems (and the limitations of in-vivo, i.e., animal models)
• The biology: choosing the right kind of cell - The environment: chemistry, physics, and geometry
• The readouts: From microscopy to integrated sensors
• Biomaterials: Chemical and physical cues for cells
• Organs-on-Chips: Engineering the environment with microfluidics
• Organoids: 3D biological complexity
• In-silico models and in-vitro to in-vivo extrapolation