Organoid on a chip (Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease)

Organoids are 3D structures fabricated in vitro from pluripotent stem cells or adult tissue stem cells through a process of self-organization that results in the formation of miniaturized version of organ with organ-specific cell types.

In order for a cell aggregate to be defined as an organoid, it must be composed of tissue-specific cells, capable of mimicking the specific function of an organ, and, the cells are not arranged randomly, but are structured systematically like an actual organ. Organoids that have a disease model can be used to examine physiological and pathological characteristics as well as responses to various drug. The organoids can also take the place of traditional animal experiments, which are currently subject to serious with moral dilemma. Our group produced brain organoids expressing degenerative brain disease (Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease). In addition, by growing brain organoids with degenerative brain disease on a nanopattern chip to develop an organoid-on-a-chip, we are doing research on the analysis of various responses of organoids when treated with harmful chemicals or drugs.

Assembloid (Mini brain, retinal organoid)

Different living tissues in the human body interact and work together to operate. An assembloid made of the direct connection of various live tissues was created to mimic this in vitro. Our group generated a variety of organoids, including cerebral, midbrain, cerebellar, thalamic, and retinal organoids, that imitate distinct regions of the tissues. We then put these organoids together to create new forms of assembloid. Additionally, the connection effectiveness and signal transduction capabilities of connected organoids were enhanced by the introduction of nanomaterials. Our group is researching the development of biohybrid robots and assembloid-on-a-chip that can be utilized for drug screening.