LABORATORY FOR ADVANCED MICROPHYSIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS

Our lab engineers innovative 3D cell culture chips using advanced microfabrication techniques. The image above shows a variety of our platforms from microfluidic chip arrays, modular systems, to compact wellplate-based devices. These tools are designed to mimic in vivo conditions, supporting high-resolution studies of cell behavior and disease processes.

We are currently focused on developing organoid-on-a-chip systems for more physiologically relevant in vitro models.

We harness machine learning and AI to analyze complex biomedical images, enabling virtual staining, segmentation, and morphological quantification.

To make these tools accessible, we are developing a user-friendly graphical interface for seamless and efficient image analysis. This platform enhances biological insight, accelerates discovery, and minimizes reliance on traditional staining methods.

We are developing a 3D angiogenesis model within a microfluidic chip that enables real-time live imaging of endothelial cell dynamics. This system allows for continuous monitoring of vascular sprouting, remodeling, and barrier function under physiologically relevant conditions.

By incorporating patient-derived endothelial cells, our platform captures patient-specific vascular morphogenesis and facilitates personalized drug screening. The high-throughput format supports efficient discovery of optimal therapeutic regimens for vascular-related diseases.

Credit: Jaehong Min & Sujin Kim

Vascularization of tumor spheorids or organoids is essential for recapitulating the native tumor microenvironment. It plays a critical role in studying tumor dynamics, drug penetration, resistance mechanisms, and therapeutic efficacy. 

Our approach focuses on engineering perfusable microvascular networks within 3D tumor models, enabling real-time observation of tumor-vasculature interactions. This platform enables patient-specific testing using patient-derived specimens, serving as an in vitro Avatar model for personalized drug screening.

Our platform supports the development of complex neural networks and promotes axonal myelination, enabling advanced studies in pain signaling, drug screening for painkillers, and mechanisms of neurological disorders. 

We aim to leverage this system for evaluating cell-based therapies and discovering new treatments for neurodegenerative and neuropathic conditions. 

In collaboration with KIST

Credit: Heesuh Yi

This vascularized skin-on-a-chip model integrates key structural components of human skin, including the epidermis, dermis, and perfusable microvascular networks. 

Designed for high-throughput applications, this model enables reliable testing for skin irritation and sensitization, providing a promising alternative to traditional animal-based assays.

In collaboration with Kolmar Korea

Understanding the immune system’s role in cancer progression is highly complex due to dynamic interactions between immune cells, tumor cells, and the vasculature.

Using microphysiological systems, we recreate the tumor immune microenvironment in vitro, enabling precise studies of immune cell behavior, including macrophage polarization, endothelial interaction, and tumor-immune crosstalk.

This platform supports real-time analysis of immune responses and provides a powerful tool for evaluating immunotherapies and personalized treatment strategies.

We are developing patient-specific organoids derived from clinical specimens to model individual disease profiles in vitro. These organoids recapitulate key structural and functional characteristics of native tissues, enabling personalized studies of disease progression and drug response.

In collaboration with Gil Medical Center

Credit: Yedam Lee