Engineering cell-substrate interactions on porous membranes to build better tissue models
Official title: Engineering Cell-Substrate Interactions on Porous Membranes to Create Physiologically Relevant Model Systems
Funded at Rochester Institute of Technology · NIH-11333741 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers are improving how cells talk to the surfaces they grow on to create more realistic tissue-like systems for studying health and disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rochester Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project start | June 1, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $362,320 |
| NIH project number | 5R35GM153461-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11333741 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include individuals whose cells are used to create patient-specific models, such as those donating iPSC-derived samples for disease-relevant tissue chips.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not contributing cells or samples may not directly benefit from this technical development.
What this research studies
This project focuses on microphysiological systems, or tissue chips, that use porous membranes to house different cell types and study their communication. By tuning the membrane properties, scientists aim to better mimic how tissues behave in the body, which could improve drug testing and disease modeling. The work may involve patient-specific iPSC-derived cells to capture individual responses in a controlled, high-throughput setup. Real-time imaging and other readouts will help reveal how cells interact with their substrate and with each other in these layered cultures.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, these improved tissue models could lead to more accurate drug screening and disease studies, ultimately helping patients get safer and more effective treatments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work with tissue chips and membrane barriers has shown promise in modeling tissue interactions, with ongoing efforts to enhance realism and throughput.
Where this research is happening
-
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gaborski, Thomas R — Rochester Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Gaborski, Thomas R
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.