We are developing microfluidic organ-on-a-chip platforms for drug discovery and personalized medicine. We use massive microfluidic arrays of cancer spheroids for screening of best drug combinations. Cancer spheroids are grown in biomimetic environment (EKGel) that replicate in vivo extracellular matrix. In collaboration with Prof. Aspuru-Guzik and Dr. Cescon (Princess Margaret Hospital), we are exploring a broad range of variables (drugs and cell types, sequences, doses and times for multiple drugs) by integrating microfluidics with machine learning.

We are developing microfluidic platforms contain massive arrays of skin spheroids and use this in vitro model for screening of multicomponent formulations for skincare products. The same platform can be used for studies and protection of skin aging and screening of drugs used for skin diseases. Part of this project in conducted in collaboration with Industrial partner.

We pioneered microfluidic synthesis of polymer particles with exquisite control of their size and shape (see Angew. Chem (2005) and follow up papers). We use these particles to study thromboembolism and thrombolysis of fibrin microgels confined to narrow microchannels. On the other hand, embolization of blood capillaries with polymer hydrogel particles can be used to reduce blood supply to tumor sites and stop vascular bleeding.

There is significant progress in the development of microbubbles for a wide variety of biomedical applications. The ability of microbubbles to respond to ultrasound makes them useful agents for contrast ultrasound imaging, molecular imaging, and targeted drug and gene delivery. Our group has developed a microfluidic approach to the generation of small, uniformly sized, stable bubbles with a shell comprising biopolymers and magnetic nanoparticles, for ultrasound imaging and MRI.