Developing Tissue Mimetics of the Outer Retinal Blood Barrier

Project Collaborators: Dr. Regine Choe, Dr. Jinjiang Pang, Dr. Ruchira Singh

Dysfunction of the outer retinal blood barrier (oRBB), is implicated in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause for blindness in industrialized countries. Despite its prevalence, the mechanisms of AMD remain poorly understood. Animal models for AMD are severely limited due to physiological differences and impracticality. Advances in tissue engineering and organ-on-a-chip technology have catalyzed the rise of microphysiological systems (MPS) as an alternative for preclinical testing. Thus, to overcome this major hurdle, the goal of this project is to engineer improved MPS to model the outer retinal blood barrier using engineered hydrogel materials, nanoporous silicon nitride membranes, induced pluripotent stem cells, and microfluidic devices. This research will establish an in vitro platform for interrogating retinal (patho)physiology and investigating the mechanistic complexities of the oRBB microenvironment.