Reference number : GC-2017-Q1-00256, amendment number : , agreement type : G, recipient legal name : Simmons, Craig (University of Toronto), recipient country : CA, recipient province : nan, recipient city : Ontario, recipient postal code : nan, program name english : Collaborative Health Research Projects, program name french : Projets de recherche concertée sur la santé, program purpose english : Poor efficacy and unpredictable toxic effects of drugs on the heart are leading causes of_x000D_
removal of a drug from the market. Many drugs act unpredictably in patients because they are_x000D_
tested in labs using cells grown in plastic dishes and in animals that poorly mimic humans._x000D_
Improved heart tissue models could identify and eliminate toxic and ineffective drugs earlier in_x000D_
the drug discovery process._x000D_
To meet this need, we have developed a microfluidic platform that can model features of_x000D_
tissues in the body, like blood flow and three-dimensional tissue arrangement, better than can_x000D_
be done with standard cell culture models. This platform will be adapted to stretch and_x000D_
electrically stimulate heart microtissues to better simulate human heart physiology. We have_x000D_
also developed a new ultrasound imaging technique that can rapidly assess heart microtissue_x000D_
beating and contraction from outside the platform. We propose to combine these techniques_x000D_
to develop a new and improved heart model to rapidly and easily assess the function of heart_x000D_
microtissues. This model will be unique in its compatibility with standard laboratory equipment_x000D_
and medium- to high-throughput workflow, ensuring ease of implementation with minimal time_x000D_
and effort._x000D_
We will optimize the new heart model to achieve functionality more similar to native human_x000D_
heart tissue than currently possible, using patient-derived heart cells to model normal and_x000D_
diseased heart tissue. At project completion, we will deliver a new best-in-class model of_x000D_
human heart tissue that is expected to decrease the time and cost associated with drug_x000D_
development by identifying ineffective and toxic drugs much earlier in the drug development_x000D_
process than is possible with current methods._x000D_
This project will produce technologies that are primed for commercialization by our partner_x000D_
companies and trainees with interdisciplinary expertise to lead the next generation of_x000D_
innovations in the Canadian biotechnology, biomedicine, and health sectors., program purpose french : Poor efficacy and unpredictable toxic effects of drugs on the heart are leading causes of_x000D_
removal of a drug from the market. Many drugs act unpredictably in patients because they are_x000D_
tested in labs using cells grown in plastic dishes and in animals that poorly mimic humans._x000D_
Improved heart tissue models could identify and eliminate toxic and ineffective drugs earlier in_x000D_
the drug discovery process._x000D_
To meet this need, we have developed a microfluidic platform that can model features of_x000D_
tissues in the body, like blood flow and three-dimensional tissue arrangement, better than can_x000D_
be done with standard cell culture models. This platform will be adapted to stretch and_x000D_
electrically stimulate heart microtissues to better simulate human heart physiology. We have_x000D_
also developed a new ultrasound imaging technique that can rapidly assess heart microtissue_x000D_
beating and contraction from outside the platform. We propose to combine these techniques_x000D_
to develop a new and improved heart model to rapidly and easily assess the function of heart_x000D_
microtissues. This model will be unique in its compatibility with standard laboratory equipment_x000D_
and medium- to high-throughput workflow, ensuring ease of implementation with minimal time_x000D_
and effort._x000D_
We will optimize the new heart model to achieve functionality more similar to native human_x000D_
heart tissue than currently possible, using patient-derived heart cells to model normal and_x000D_
diseased heart tissue. At project completion, we will deliver a new best-in-class model of_x000D_
human heart tissue that is expected to decrease the time and cost associated with drug_x000D_
development by identifying ineffective and toxic drugs much earlier in the drug development_x000D_
process than is possible with current methods._x000D_
This project will produce technologies that are primed for commercialization by our partner_x000D_
companies and trainees with interdisciplinary expertise to lead the next generation of_x000D_
innovations in the Canadian biotechnology, biomedicine, and health sectors., agreement title english : Development of a physiological cardiac microtissue platform for drug development, agreement title french : Development of a physiological cardiac microtissue platform for drug development, agreement number : CHRPJ, agreement value : 426720.0, agreement start date : 2017-04-25, agreement end date : nan, description english : nan, description french : nan, expected results english : nan, expected results french : nan, additional information english : Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year. (2017-2018 to 2020-2021), additional information french : Subvention ou bourse octroyée s'appliquant à plus d'un exercice financier. (2017-2018 à 2020-2021), owner organization : nserc-crsng, owner organization title : Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada | Conseil de recherches en sciences naturelles et en génie du Canada