In 2012, NIH funded awards for research projects designed to create 3-D chips with living cells and tissues that accurately model the structure and function of human organs, such as the lung, liver and heart. Twelve of these awards supported studies to develop 3-D cellular microsystems that represent human organ systems. These bio-engineered devices were designed to be functionally relevant and reflect the complexity of the tissue of origin, including genomic diversity, disease complexity and drug response.

In addition to organ systems, some of the awarded researchers developed tissue microsystems that target specific health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, degenerative arthritis and gastrointestinal disease.

Columbia University, New York

Integrated Heart-Liver-Vascular Systems for Drug Testing in Human Health and Disease*

Principal Investigator: Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, Ph.D.   
Grant Number: 1-UH2-EB-017103-01

*project funded by National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering 

Cornell University, Ithaca, New York

Microphysiological Systems and Low-Cost Microfluidic Platform With Analytics

Principal Investigators: Michael L. Shuler, Ph.D., Cornell University; James J. Hickman, Ph.D., University of Central Florida   
Grant Number: 1-UH2-TR-000516-01

Duke University, Durham, North Carolina

Circulatory System and Integrated Muscle Tissue for Drug and Tissue Toxicity

Principal Investigators: George A. Truskey, Ph.D.   
Grant Number: 1-UH2-TR-000505-01

Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts

Human Cardiopulmonary System on a Chip

Principal Investigators: Kevin K. Parker, Ph.D.   
Grant Number: 1-UH2-TR-000522-01

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge

All-Human Microphysical Model of Metastasis and Therapy

Principal Investigators: Linda G. Griffith, Ph.D. 
Grant Number: 1-UH2-TR-000496-01

Morgridge Institute for Research at the University of Wisconsin–Madison

Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell and Embryonic Stem Cell-Based Models for Predictive Neural Toxicity and Teratogenicity

Principal Investigators: James A. Thomson, V.M.D., Ph.D. 
Grant Number: 1-UH2-TR-000506-01

Northwestern University, Chicago

Ex Vivo Female Reproductive Tract Integration in a 3-D Microphysiologic System*

Principal Investigators: Teresa K. Woodruff, Ph.D. 
Grant Number: 1-UH2-ES-022920-01

*Project funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, and the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health.

University of California, Berkeley

Disease-Specific Integrated Microphysiological Human Tissue Models

Principal Investigators: Kevin E. Healy, Ph.D., and Luke P. Lee, Ph.D. 
Grant Number: 1-UH2-TR-000487-01

University of California, Irvine

An Integrated In Vitro Model of Perfused Tumor and Cardiac Tissue

Principal Investigators: Steven C. George, M.D., Ph.D. 
Grant Number: 1-UH2-TR-000481-01

University of Pittsburgh

A 3-D Biomimetic Liver Sinusoid Construct for Predicting Physiology and Toxicity

Principal Investigators: D. Lansing Taylor, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh; Martin L. Yarmush, M.D., Ph.D., Rutgers University 
Grant Number: 1-UH2-TR-000503-01

University of Washington, Seattle

A Tissue-Engineered Human Kidney Microphysiological System

Principal Investigators: Jonathan Himmelfarb, M.D. 
Grant Number: 1-UH2-TR-000504-01

Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

Neurovascular Unit on a Chip: Chemical Communication, Drug and Toxin Responses

Principal Investigators: John P. Wikswo, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University; Damir Janigro, Ph.D., Cleveland Clinic; Donna J. Webb, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University; Kevin Niswender, Ph.D., Vanderbilt University 
Grant Number: 1-UH2-TR-000491-01