When scientists are working to develop new drugs, they must perform multiple tests to ensure the drugs are not only effective but safe for humans. These tests typically fall into one of two categories: “in vitro” or “in vivo”—Latin for “in glass” and “within the living,” respectively.

In vitro testing is done in test tubes and petri dishes, offering a controlled environment, but failing to reflect the conditions of an actual living thing. In vivo testing—either animal testing or clinical trials—can give researchers insight into how the drug would act in a living organism, but it’s typically slower and requires preliminary in vitro testing before conducting further studies.

University of Utah mechanical engineering professor Jungkyu (Jay) Kim is working to develop something in between the two to help researchers conduct these vital tests more efficiently and with less animal testing.

Kim and his lab have developed organ chips that use a cell culture to form tissue, which are then subject to static or dynamic mechanical motions, such as stretching or bending. This process replicates the microphysiological environments found within various human tissue. These chips can be made to have the curvature of a cornea, the motion of a lung or heart valve, and more.

After disclosing the invention to PIVOT Center, Kim received an Ascender Grant to help improve the organ chip technology to make it more appealing and useful to industry partners, so Kim and his team set out to increase its throughput.

The Ascender Grant helps U inventors bridge the funding gap between research and commercialization by providing support for technology development, proof of concept and preparations for additional investment

Kim’s team started with a chip that could do one test at a time, and with the grant they were able to transition the organ chip from the single test platform to a 96-well plate that biologists use pretty much every day. “Then we can test drugs A to Z, and also different concentrations, and then we can get conclusive results with a single experiment,” Kim said.

The result of their Ascender Grant efforts was a high-throughput test that could potentially reduce not only the time needed, but also reduce the amount of in vivo, or animal testing, needed. “By using this high-throughput organ chip platform, then we may be able to minimize animal tests significantly,” Kim said. “For now, it’s in between in vitro and in vivo, so we can fill that gap, but in the near future, we aim to replace animal tests with this high-throughput organ chip platform.”

Kim completed his first round of Ascender Grant funding in early 2023 and recently received a new round of funding to continues his research.

‘Sky to ground’ research

Kim’s lab isn’t just focused on organ chips, and we’ve barely scratched the surface of what he and his team have accomplished. Kim’s research falls under the umbrella of microsystem development, and he’s found that small scale technologies have value across multiple industries from organ chips to space exploration.

The key to finding these various applications for his research, Kim said, is talking with colleagues in different departments with different expertise, because one can only take their research so far in one field.

“Years after your research was initially published, one might question if there’s still room for innovation. Maybe not in the same field, but if you shift the application to a different discipline, it becomes new for them,” Kim said. “Cross-disciplinary collaboration is a really fruitful outcome.”

Years after your research was initially published, one might question if there’s still room for innovation. Maybe not in the same field, but if you shift the application to a different discipline, it becomes new for them. Cross-disciplinary collaboration is a really fruitful outcome.

That’s exactly what happened with Kim’s microfluidic system he developed nearly 10 years ago as a postdoc at University of California, Berkeley. When he started discussing his research with people interested in space, his technology was already considered mature, but his colleagues were looking for smaller systems to use in outer space.

“When deploying instruments beyond our planet, NASA prioritizes designs that are both lightweight and energy efficient,” Kim said. His innovative microsystem, called MOAB (Microfabricated Organic Analyzer for Biosignature), perfectly fit these criteria. It was compact but MOAB performed the same as a larger device. Demonstrating their adaptability, Kim and his team reconfigured the system for dual functionality: searching for potential signs of extraterrestrial life and monitoring astronaut health during space missions.

Kim and one of his graduate students even traveled to Florida to conduct experiments in zero gravity on board a special plane similar to NASA’s infamous “Vomit Comet.” “It was a fascinating experience, but there was some nausea at the end,” Kim said.