We have insufficient understanding of the complexity of the brain. Most in vitro systems do not recreate the biology and function of the brain. Moreover, the obstacles to studying the interactions between human genetics and environmental factors results in a gap of knowledge about the causes of brain diseases. Artificial tissues seek to integrate different brain cells in a controlled three-dimensional environmental configuration to obtain platforms that better recreate brain physiology in a simpler and affordable approach, easier to manipulate than traditional organoids. The development of low-cost, easy-to-use systems to evaluate treatments for neurological diseases would enhance the efficacy and toxicological assessment for specific patients, mitigating the limitations of current technologies, enhancing treatment options and improving patient’s quality of life. These preclinical tools demonstrate the potential to revolutionize healthcare technology by improving human brain cancer modeling, and enabling a more accurate prediction of effective drugs, particularly important in cancers with low numbers of patients available for participation in clinical research.
Sara Pedron received her B.S. in Chemistry from University of Valencia (Spain) and PhD at Institute of Polymer Science and Technology (CSIC) in Madrid, focusing on the fabrication of complex biomaterial platforms for heart valve regeneration. In 2009 she joined Philips Research (The Netherlands) as a Research Scientist to work on smart materials for cell delivery after myocardial infarction. Currently, she is a Research Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at University of Illinois. Her research interests lie at the intersection of materials sciences, engineering, biology, and medicine. She focuses on the development of miniaturized human organotypic models to understand brain pathologies, a major contributor to the global burden of disease, and identifying therapeutic strategies that rescue functional deficits.
Zoom Webinar Link: https://illinois.zoom.us/j/81123121595?pwd=VjVqZzZJL2NYRlQvVUNXMzFFdlBBQT09
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