The use of organ-on-a-chip methods for testing of nanomaterials

Abstract

Nanotechnology is a rapidly evolving field that promises to revolutionize several areas of clinical practice ranging from gene therapy, research, and drug delivery. One of the major difficulties of such advances reaching the clinic is the prolonged testing and inefficient preclinical models for testing. Recently, organ-on-a-chip systems have been developed, and they are microscale bioengineered systems capable of recapitulating complex organ functions in health and disease. They represent a valuable in vitro tool with applications in the study of treatment modalities for an wide range of conditions ranging from drug discovery to cancer treatment. The aim of this chapter is to discuss the development and evolution of organ-on-a-chip models in testing the safety, efficacy, and function of nanomaterials. This chapter will also further elaborate on future avenues of research and discuss the challenges that remain to be addressed.