Breaking (Blood-Brain) Barriers: Nano-Co-Cultured BBB Organoids
Supervisors:
Kimia Witte, Biomedical Engineering Department, University of Strathclyde
Rona J Strawbridge, School of Health & Wellbeing, University of Glasgow
Giuseppe Di Caprio, Biomedical Engineering Department, University of Strathclyde
Manuel Salmeron-Sanchez, James Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow
Kostas Tokatlidis, School of Molecular Biosciences, University of Glasgow
Summary:
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) blocks 95% of drugs, while dementia leads to high mortality rates in the UK, with forecasts indicating 1 in 2 individuals will be affected if no interventions are made. Current pre-clinical drug tests are carried out using in vitro models that poorly mimic the BBB due to 'phenotypic drift,' where BBB cells lose their characteristics, resulting in a 90% failure rate in clinical trials. To address this challenge, our studentship will focus on developing microfluidic organoids using nano-co-culture techniques, aiming to accurately replicate the BBB microenvironment for disease modelling and drug screening.
The project is suitable for a student with a background in molecular and cellular biology, biomedical engineering, or related subjects, with an interest in tissue engineering. As part of the PhD program, the student will receive training in microfluidics, biomaterials, cell biology, and biochemistry. Additionally, they will be part of the Centre for Cellular Microenvironment (CeMi) and Strathclyde BRAINS CDT, which provides networking opportunities as well as tailored
entrepreneurship and career development programmes.