Soft micromachines for mechanic stimulation and biosensing

Mechanosignaling is important for tissue housekeeping and is mediating important processes of tissue health and disease. Yet, the ability of three-dimensional models to authentically mimic and monitor the local micromechanical environment experienced by tendon and ligaments in the human body is still in its infancy. The SoMiCell project aims to deliver a new class of analytical tools that can be readily adapted for mechanobiological studies of artificial human tissue constructs of tendons and potentially many other tissue types by providing light-assisted biomechanical training, online biomarker monitoring , and maturation of tissue-like constructs in a single primary cell-based lab-on-a-chip system. With synergistic use of responsive hydrogels actuated via plasmonic heating, optical affinity hydrogel biosensors with plasmonic readout and microfluidic lab-on-a-chip technologies, we aim to progress the field of pathological tendon and ligament modelling and musculoskeletal drug screening approaches with our microrobot approach. The proposed platform holds immense potential to outperform current three-dimensional organ-on-a-chip technologies and is intended as technology to replace animal models in basic research and drug screening applications.