Heart-on-a-Chip using Human Stem Cells

Cardiovascular diseases have been the world’s leading cause of death for nearly the past hundred years.

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have recently come to the forefront as a new tool to study human diseases in a more realistic model. Additionally, tissue engineering has advanced to a point where devices smaller than a penny can be used to study biology without the use of expensive animal models.

We aim to combine these two emerging technologies to engineer a 3D device that mimics both the beating myocardium and the vasculature of the human heart. We aim to use our device as a tool to study cardiovascular pathology, drugs, and treatments using a specific patients own hiPSCs for personalized treatment.