Engineering organ-on-a-chip systems to model viral infections
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 27, 2025
Author Spotlight: Developing Immunocompetent Organ-on-Chip Models for Infectious Disease Research
Published on: May 24, 2024
Fahimeh Shahabipour1,2, Sandro Satta3, Mahboobeh Mahmoodi4,5
1Skin Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract:
Infectious diseases remain a public healthcare concern worldwide. Amidst the pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection, increasing resources have been diverted to investigate therapeutics targeting the COVID-19 spike glycoprotein and to develop various classes of vaccines. Most of the current investigations employ two-dimensional (2D) cell culture and animal models. However, 2D culture negates the multicellular interactions and three-dimensional (3D) microenvironment, and animal models cannot mimic human physiology because of interspecies differences. On the other hand, organ-on-a-chip (OoC) devices introduce a game-changer to model viral infections in human tissues, facilitating high-throughput screening of antiviral therapeutics. In this context, this review provides an overview of thein vitroOoC-based modeling of viral infection, highlighting the strengths and challenges for the future.
Insights
Organ-on-a-chip technology offers a novel approach to model viral infections, overcoming limitations of traditional cell cultures and animal models. This method aids in developing effective antiviral therapeutics and vaccines.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Biotechnology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Infectious diseases pose a significant global public health challenge.
- The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for advanced research models.
- Current models like 2D cell cultures and animal studies have limitations in mimicking human physiology and interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the application of organ-on-a-chip (OoC) technology for modeling viral infections.
- To highlight the potential of OoC devices in antiviral drug discovery and vaccine development.
- To discuss the advantages and challenges of OoC-based viral infection modeling.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on organ-on-a-chip devices for viral infection studies.
- Analysis of the capabilities of OoC technology in simulating human tissue microenvironments.
- Evaluation of OoC platforms for high-throughput screening of antiviral therapeutics.
Main Results:
- OoC devices successfully replicate human tissue complexity and multicellular interactions.
- These models offer a more physiologically relevant platform for studying viral pathogenesis.
- OoC technology facilitates efficient screening of potential antiviral agents.
Conclusions:
- Organ-on-a-chip technology represents a significant advancement in modeling viral infections.
- OoC platforms provide a promising avenue for accelerating the development of novel antiviral therapeutics and vaccines.
- Further research and development are needed to address current challenges and fully realize the potential of OoC technology in infectious disease research.
