R.P 2.2 An Organoid Platform and Cell-Based Platform for Ocular Therapeutic Development

Overview 

The FDA’s 2023 decision to eliminate animal testing requirements for clinical trials has accelerated the adoption of advanced in vitro models, with organoids emerging as ethical and cost-effective alternatives. This project aims to develop advanced ocular organoid and cells-on-a-chip platforms as scalable, cost-effective alternatives to animal testing for ophthalmic therapeutic development. Leveraging microfluidics, tissue engineering, and stem cell technologies, the study focuses on creating physiologically relevant retina, cornea, and lens organoids, as well as human cell-based microfluidic models. Research activities include optimizing organoid differentiation and growth, integrating immune and vascular components, and applying multi-omics analyses to support disease modelling and early-stage drug screening for a range of ocular conditions.