Research database

The HUMATOXCHIP project will develop a new Human-on-Chip (HoC) device to enable the effective detection of the toxicity of chemicals to humans. This new device, which combines 3D tissue models and flow-mimetic conditions, recapitulates the complexity of human physiology for the in vitro prediction of the toxicity of chemicals. HUMATOXCHIP will develop an integrated and sensorised multi microphysiological system (mMPS) combining multiple 3D in vitro bioengineered human functional tissues-on-chip (FToCs) involved in chemical toxicity pathways in a single device. The integrated HUMATOXCHIP device will allow seven different human tissues to be replicated in 3D to facilitate examining the Absorption (skin, lung), Distribution (heart, nerve tissue, bone marrow), Metabolism (liver, kidney) and Excretion (kidney) phases of the body’s reaction to potentially toxic compounds. Multiomics analysis will be applied to the supernatants to identify, in combination with machine learning algorithms, toxicity markers as tools for high throughput early detection of toxicity and to accelerate the risk assessment process. HUMATOXCHIP will also exploit newly designed cell probes for the real-time monitoring of chemical toxicity and accelerate studies on advanced tools for a fast-chemical compound screening and evaluation, allowing a significant reduction of costs for the producers of chemicals as well as for the healthcare systems. The HUMATOXCHIP consortium is a multidisciplinary team of experts, (20 partners - 7 countries) who collectively possess the required expertise to develop the new integrated mMPS, combining 3D in vitro bioengineered functional models of various human tissues, to investigate chemical toxicity pathways. HUMATOXCHIP has the potential to make Europe a global leader in toxicity testing and to remove the need for animal testing of new chemical compounds. Overall, HUMATOXCHIP will have very beneficial economic, societal, and ethical impacts.