Flow control system for organ-on-a-chip

Connecting science and industry

Organ-on-a-chip systems can be used for many different applications. As described in research of the University of Toronto (Canada) [1], minuscule models of the nose, mouth, eyes and lungs can be created to understand how COVID-19 invades the human body and does its damage. The role of flow instruments is crucial here, as they are used for accurate and stable flow control to grow and maintain healthy cells in organs-on-a-chip.

Photograph of Science Officer Joost Lötters, holding a MEMS Coriolis mass flow sensor. Joost is also professor of Microfluidic Handling Systems at the University of Twente, where he works with a team of ca. 10 people on new technologies for future Bronkhorst products.

Medical initiatives for organ-on-a-chip systems using flow control

For example, researchers of the Verpoorte group at the University of Groningen (NL) have successfully demonstrated the use of Bronkhorst Coriolis flow controllers in their gut-on-a-chip system [2, page 17-18], where they mimicked the digestive tract [3]. The Coriolis flow meters in the system were co-developed with the University of Twente [4][5], where our Science Officer, Joost Lötters, is involved in these activities as part-time professor. This connection between universities and Bronkhorst enables us to put the research results into practice.

Photograph of the digestive system, with the Coriolis-based mass flow sensors at the back, liquid reservoirs at the right (blue/red caps), and the three micromixers with incubation loops in the front.

Flow control system for organ-on-a-chip application

Connecting science and industry

mini CORI-FLOW