JWNC Chris Wilkinson Award 2025: Badri Aekbote

 

The key innovation is an in vitro assay based on a micropillar array which acts as a force sensor. It uses deformable pillars to measure the force of attached heart cells. This mechanobiological assay converts micropillar motion (imaged at the top of the post) to force using a simpler mechanical model for beam bending and assumptions about the material properties of the micropillar. Of the many different advantages of this technology, one of the main benefits is the ability to change (like diameter or spacing) its geometry (aspect ratio) to get isotropic and anisotropic micropillar stiffness, thus making it clinically relevant Fig 1. Using the state-of-the-art facility at JWNC like E-beam fabrication and soft lithography these nano/micro pillars can be made and integrated into a multiwell plate format.

 

The impact of this technology is diverse, from cancer metastasis to cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. Although investment in drug discovery and development has been skyrocketing, the number of approved drugs has been declining. One of the reasons being drug-induced toxicity. Within this cardiotoxicity alone accounts for 30% of drug failure and abandonment. Current statistics says 26 approved drugs have been withdrawn since 1988 due to cardiotoxicity and side effects.

In summary, problem our platform will reduce the risk of expensive drug failure in later stage of clinical development, by improving clinical predictability early in the drug discovery process. We have partnered with local SME (Clyde Bioscience) and others to take this technology into market.

Relevant links: www.forcebiology.com and the PI university page Nikolaj Gadegaard

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First published: 14 July 2025