Development of a microphysiological intestinal barrier model as an alternative to using animals for absorption assays

• Grant number: 23/16426-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Toxicological Analysis
• Principal Investigator: Ana Carolina Migliorini Figueira
• Grantee: Daniela Mayra dos Santos
• Host Institution: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Pharmacological and toxicological assays are of utmost importance in determining the effectiveness of new chemical composition products and their adverse effects. Although the use of animals and 2D cell cultures has been essential, they have limitations in predicting human responses. Ethical debates such as the "Principle of the 3Rs" have encouraged the search for alternative methods, such as microphysiological systems (MPS) or "organ-on-a-chip" systems, which reduce the reliance on animal testing. MPS aim to mimic the pathophysiology of human organs, recreating specific tissues on a micrometer scale. Emulating physiological characteristics results in responses more similar to those of a living organism, offering an innovative approach to studying human diseases and conducting pre-clinical tests on new compounds such as drugs, vaccines, agrochemicals, cosmetics, and food additives, assessing their safety and effectiveness more accurately. In Brazil, there have been advances in legislation that prohibits the use of animals in toxicological and pharmacological tests and the implementation of alternative methods and training of researchers, but there are no national companies exploring the commercial potential of SMFs on chips. The objective of this project is to develop and improve an intestinal barrier model in national SMFs to evaluate the absorption and toxicity of compounds. To achieve this, we will develop the biomaterial that will compose the basal lamina of the intestine and the cultivation conditions in the SMFs. The characterization of intestinal cells in SMFs will also be carried out and comparison with the commercial chip model (Tissose®), in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the developed national chip. (AU)