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Microphysiological Systems: Transforming Biomedical and Clinical Research
Om Saswat Sahoo1, Avisha Tyagi1, Aparna K Sharma2
1Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi, New Delhi, India.
Biotechnology and Bioengineering
|May 6, 2026
Summary
Microphysiological systems (MPS) offer human-relevant models for drug development, overcoming limitations of traditional methods. These organ-on-chip technologies are advancing pharmaceutical research and safety assessment.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Drug Development
- Translational Science
Background:
- The pharmaceutical industry faces significant drug development challenges due to the low predictive power of conventional preclinical models.
- Microphysiological systems (MPS) are emerging as advanced, human-relevant alternatives to traditional in vitro and animal models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the technological advancements, biological applications, and regulatory landscape of MPS in drug development.
- To highlight the potential of MPS in addressing the translational bottleneck in pharmaceutical research.
Main Methods:
- Integration of microfabrication, biomaterials, stem cell biology, microfluidics, and real-time sensing.
- Development of organ-specific platforms, multi-organ systems, and body-on-chip models for pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies.
Main Results:
- MPS platforms can recapitulate organ-level structure, function, and disease dynamics with high physiological fidelity.
- Regulatory bodies like the FDA are increasingly recognizing MPS as a validated approach for drug development and safety assessment.
Conclusions:
- MPS represent a transformative technology for improving the predictive accuracy of preclinical drug testing and accelerating development timelines.
- Addressing challenges in cell sourcing, heterogeneity, scalability, and standardization is crucial for the widespread adoption of MPS.
