{"id":7203,"date":"2025-11-20T11:17:19","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T16:17:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/?post_type=project&p=7203"},"modified":"2025-11-20T11:19:51","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T16:19:51","slug":"vascularized-brain-organoids-on-chip-for-advanced-anti-epileptic-drug-screening","status":"publish","type":"project","link":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/achievement\/funded-projects\/vascularized-brain-organoids-on-chip-for-advanced-anti-epileptic-drug-screening\/","title":{"rendered":"Vascularized brain organoids-on-chip for advanced anti-epileptic drug screening"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Principal Investigator<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Houman Savoji<\/strong><\/strong>
CHU Sainte-Justine<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Project of $802,606 over 2 years<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • Supported by CQDM through:<\/strong>
    Minist\u00e8re de l\u2019\u00c9conomie, de l\u2019Innovation et de l\u2019\u00c9nergie du Qu\u00e9bec (MEIE)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • And by co-funding partners:<\/strong>
    – VascuBio Innovation inc.
    – Epiloid Biotechnology
    – Pfizer Canada<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    \n\n\n\n

    Challenge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Modern neurological drug development faces a significant challenge, with a 94% failure rate, primarily due to the poor translation of results from animal models to human clinical trials. Current brain organoid models, derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), offer a promising alternative for studying neurological diseases. However, these organoids lack vascularization, limiting their size, maturity, and physiological relevance, which hinders their effectiveness in disease modeling and drug screening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Solution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Our project proposes the development of a 3D-printed chip designed to promote vascularization within brain organoids, enhancing their growth and complexity. This chip, optimized for angiogenesis, will create a more physiologically relevant environment for the organoids, allowing for better modeling of human brain function. We will generate brain organoids from hiPSCs, induce hyperexcitability to mimic epilepsy, and then utilize the angiogenesis-primed chip to support the development of vascularized organoids. These organoids will be used to conduct anti-epileptic drug screening, with data analyzed through machine learning to assess drug efficacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Expected Achievements \/Impacts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    The project is expected to produce vascularized brain organoids that more accurately replicate human brain physiology, significantly advancing the study of neurological diseases. These organoids will serve as a powerful tool for drug development, potentially reducing the high failure rate in clinical trials. For stakeholders, including Epiloid Biotechnology and VascuBio Innovation, this project will enhance their technological capabilities and provide a competitive edge in the field of organoid research. The anticipated benefits for the province of Qu\u00e9bec include establishing the region as a leader in cutting-edge neurological research, fostering innovation, and creating opportunities for collaboration and economic growth.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":3832,"template":"","project-category":[94],"class_list":["post-7203","project","type-project","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","project-category-platforms-and-databases"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project\/7203","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/project"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3832"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7203"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"project-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cqdm.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project-category?post=7203"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}