Light-SABR – Environmental Bioengineering by Means of Laser Photoablation

Controlling the cellular microenvironment including the mechanical landscape, biochemical cues and the cellular composition is of critical importance in order to recapitulate proper tissue organization and function in vitro. Both microfluidics and hydrogel technologies can concur to the production of advanced organs-onchip devices. However, these technologies produce mostly simple and predefined structures that often fail to recapitulate the complexity of living tissues.

The aim of the project is to develop a direct approach capable of producing advanced cell culture systems structured in 3D by means of laser photoablation. Practically, we propose developing a hardware and software solution that coordinates stage movements and laser illumination in order to carve complex structures in the bulk of a hydrogel slab. The produced structure can be predefined or based on the live-imaging of cells grown in a 3D matrix. In order to demonstrate its versatility and transversal reach, this technology will be used to advance two distinct questions:

1. Recapitulating the mechanisms of meningococcal infection through the production of endothelialized capillary analogs.
2. Probing and quantifying the mechanics underlying organoid development through the production of anisotropic 3D cell culture substrates.