Origami Paper-based tecHnology fOr the innovativE aNd sustaInable Organ-on-Chip devices

Sustainability is one of the most important concepts nowadays, being able to drive activities in several sectors, namely environment preservation, society, and economy.

In Analytical Chemistry, the development of sustainable devices was boosted by the introduction of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (μPADs) whose advantages, however, are not only confined to the concept of sustainability. Indeed, paper as a functional material, confers unprecedented features to μPADs.

However, paper-based devices remain exploited as only analytical tools, but have not (yet) been adopted by the Organ-on-Chip (OoC) world. The objective of the present project proposal is to alter this scenario.

PHOENIX-OoC, we will radically change the OoC field by making use of paper’s versatile properties, and develop OoC devices using paper in origami configuration used (i) for cell co-cultures with the aim to better simulate different organ tissues, (ii) for (bio)sensors integration with the aim of on site/continuous monitoring of cells status/response to stimuli, and (iii) with the ultimate goal of performing accurate pharmacological studies.

The main new idea is the introduction of a technology which can deliver a versatile set of electrochemical devices with new functionalities, in which, it will be possible to create ready-to-use cell culture models for drug screenings, in a custom-made manner.

Because, OoC is a complex system with respect to μPADs, partners with different and needed skills have been gathered among the most important European scientists/entities in the field required.

PHOENIX-OoC consortium brings together 6 partners, 4 Universities, 1 research organization, and 1 industrial partner (1 SME), 5 from 4 EU (associated)countries (Italy, Sweden, Spain, Serbia), and 1 non-EU member: Switzerland, which are renowned experts in the world on paper-based biosensors, in vitro/vivo studies, modelling, microfluidics, biomaterials, and joint tissue engineering.