EVATAR and Other Bioengineered Models of the Female Reproductive System
Channel: HMS Center for Bioethics
Date: 18/04/2022

Dr. J. Julie Kim and colleagues specialize in studying uterine diseases such as endometriosis, endometrial cancer, and uterine fibroids. To study the initiation and progression of these diseases, their team has developed microphysiological models of the female reproductive tract built from a range of cell types. The first of these systems, called EVATAR, was developed to demonstrate functional endocrine signaling on reproductive tissues, including ovary, fallopian tube, endometrium, ectocervix, and liver in vitro. With EVATAR, Kim and colleagues triggered the system to produce the cascade of hormones that occur during a woman's 28-day menstrual cycle. The cycle culminated in the ovarian tissue releasing an egg. 
 
Recently, Dr. Kim and colleagues created a second-generation microfluidic model called LATTICE, which is a simple yet robust system to study multi-organ endocrine inputs and their pathological disturbances. Given that uterine diseases do not occur spontaneously in laboratory animals and since conventional cell culture studies are limiting, Dr. Kim’s approach may provide a better screening tool for drug discovery. 
 
Join Dr. Kim and moderator Dr. Insoo Hyun in this interactive public webinar, as they lead the audience through the science and ethical implications of EVATAR, LATTICE, and other bioengineered models of the female reproductive system.  

Presented by:
Ji-Yong Julie Kim, PhD

Moderated by:
Insoo Hyun, PhD

This session is part of the Ethics in Research and Biotechnology Consortia.  Learn more about the series at https://bioethics.hms.harvard.edu/events/weekly-consortia/ethics-research-and-biotechnology