Research interests

Our passion is to design and exploit microfluidic devices in the fields of basic biological research and translational pharmacological research. Ongoing projects are targeted at the following research areas:

Microfluidic bioreactors

• Performing single cell trapping, culture and analysis
• Implementing large scale automated microfluidic platforms for high-throughput parallelized screening
• Directing stem cells or iPS cells fate and differentiation through bio-chemical or physical stimuli

Organs-on-chip

• Heart on a chip: mimicking human cardiac physiology and pathology (cardiac fibrosis, dystrophies) )in vitro through physical (e.g. mechanical & electrical) or chemical (e.g. oxygen concentration gradients) stimulations
• Cartilage and joint on chip: recapitulating human cartilage, bone and joint models to study osteoarthritis
• Endothelial barriers on chip: unraveling the transport mechanisms through physiological barriers such as the blood-brain barrier or the gut endothelium
• Multicompartment microfluidic devices: the ability to generate multicellular tissues separated by neat interfaces allow to build complex human organ models (e.g. joint on chip, blood vessels on chip)

Team

Senior staff
	Principal Investigator Marco Rasponi, PhD Associate Professor This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Paola Occhetta, PhD Assistant Professor This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
PhD students
	Erika Ferrari, MSc This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Cecilia Palma, MSc This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Karol Kugiejko, MSc This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Alessandro Cordiale, MSc This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Elisa Monti, MSc This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
	Giacomo Cretti, MSc This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Executive PhD students
	Michela Polidoro, MSc This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. *working at the Epatobiliary Immunnopathology Laboratory, Humanitas Research Hospital
	Chiara Mancino, MSc This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. *working at Center for Musculoskeletal Regeneration at Houston Methodist Research Institute
	Stefano Serpelloni, MSc This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. *working at Center for Musculoskeletal Regeneration at Houston Methodist Research Institute
Master Students
	Sara Corbetta, BSc
	Martina Cassanmagnago, BSc
	Alessandro Cordiale, BSc
	Beatrice Norcini, BSc
	Roberta Cogoni, BSc
	Federico Mariuzzo, BSc
	Alessandro Zecca, BSc
	Cecilia Avventi, BSc
	Virginia Grazioli, BSc
	Victoria Lucia Rabsiun Aramburu, BSc
	Martina Pezzuto, BSc
	Ludovica Barilla, BSc
	Farhad Sanaei, BSc
Alumni
PhD & Postdoc Carlotta Mondadori, PhD Daniela Cruz-Moreira, PhD Giovanni Stefano Ugolini, PhD Andrea Pavesi, PhD Francesco Piraino, PhD Paola Occhetta, PhD Annalisa Dimasi, PhD   2022 Chiara Castelli, MSc Elnaz Vaezzadeh Angoshtarsaz, MSc Andrea Pigazzini, MSc Arianna Rosina, MSc Filippo Amadeo, MSc Chiara Polidori, MSc Alice Savoia, MSc Lucia Iafrate, MSc Caterina Perinici, MSc Beatrice Roberti, MSc Caterina Biffi, MSc Sara Sitta, MSc Elisa Monti, MSc Luca Rigamonti, MSc   2021 Martina Pezzuto, MSc Cecilia Avventi, MSc Virginia Grazioli, MSc Alessandro Zecca, MSc Victoria Lucia Rabsiun Aramburu, MSc Alessandro Cordiale, MSc Farhad Sanaei, MSc Beatrice Norcini, MSc Roberta Cogoni, MSc Andrea Fresco, MSc Farzad Elhami Nik, MSc Sara Corbetta, MSc Martina Cassanmagnago, MSc Federico Mariuzzo, MSc Ludovica Barilla, MSc   2020 Enrico Corato, MSc Mohammad Jouybar, MSc Marcello Ugazio, MSc Claudia Caporale, MSc Arianna Camilli, MSc Silvia Calzuola, MSc   2019 Federico Pigoli, MSc Marco Mondini, MSc Cecilia Palma, MSc Stefano Serpelloni, MSc Stefano Piazza, MSc Andrea Mazzoleni, MSc Fabio D'Alessandro, MSc Tatiana Mencarini, MSc   2018 Federico Nebuloni, MSc Shima Salehi, MSc Miriam Penati, MSc Marco Marziani, MSc Erika Ferrari, MSc Alessandro Fasani, MSc Federica Costa, MSc Francesca Carminati, MSc   2017 Pietro Spinelli, MSc Fabio Stringhi, MSc Nicolò Monaco, MSc Andrea Santoleri, MSc Mattia Ballerini, MSc Andrea Mainardi, MSc   2016 Anna Melesi, MSc Federico Cantoni, MSc   2015 Marta Lemme, MSc Chiara Conficconi, MSc Andrea Arneri, MSc  Elisa Giupponi, MSc Federica Colombo, MSc Giorgia Sturla, MSc Andrea Manelli, MSc   2014 Stefania Marchetti, MSc Lara Marcotti, MSc   2013 Andrea Gazaneo, MSc Mara Licini, MSc Laura Turco, MSc Valentina Sala, MSc Roberta Visone, MSc

Publications

2023

1. Polidoro MA, Ferrari E, Soldani C, Franceschini B, Rosina A, Mainardi A, D’Autilia F, Donadon M, Torzilli G, Aghemo A, Marzorati S, Rasponi M, Lleo A. Cholangiocarcinoma-On-Chip: A Human 3d Liver Tumor Model For Personalized Medicine Journal of Hepatology Reports 2023, in press (DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2023.100910).
2. Cauli E, Polidoro MA, Marzorati S, Rasponi M, Lleo A. Cancer-on-chip: a 3D model for the study of the tumor microenvironment Journal of Biological Engineering 2023, 17(1), 53 (DOI: 10.1186/s13036-023-00372-6)
3. Mancino C, Pasto A, De Rosa E, Dolcetti L, Rasponi M, McCulloch P, Taraballi F.Immunomodulatory biomimetic nanoparticles target articular cartilage trauma after systemic administration. Heliyon 2023, 9(6), e16640 (DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16640)
4. Ferrari E, Visone R, Monti E, Torretta E, Moretti M, Occhetta P, Rasponi M. LivHeart: a Multi Organ-on-chip platform to study off-target cardiotoxicity of drugs upon liver metabolism. Advanced Materials Technologies 2023, 8(8), 2201435 (DOI: 10.1002/admt.202201435)
5. Ruppelt A, Pijnenburg I, Pappers C, Samsom R-A, Kock L, Grinwis GCM, Spee B, Rasponi M, Stijnen M. Are slaughterhouse-obtained livers suitable for use in ex vivo perfusion research? Journal of International Medical Research 2023, 51(8) (DOI: 10.1177/03000605231189651)
6. Protopapa G, Bono N, Visone R, D'Alessandro F, Rasponi M, Candiani G. A new microfluidic platform for the highly reproducible preparation of non-viral gene delivery complexes. Lab on a Chip 2023, 23:136-145
7. Visone R, Lozano-Juan F, Marzorati S, Rivolta MW, Pesenti E, Redaelli A, Sassi R, Rasponi M, Occhetta P. Predicting human cardiac QT alterations and pro-arrhythmic effects of compounds with a 3D beating heart-on-chip platform Toxicological Sciences 2023, 191(1):47–60,

2022

8. Tiberti S, Catozzi C, Croci O, Ballerini M, Cagnina D, Soriani C, Scirgolea C, Gong Z, He J, Macandog AD, Nabinejad A, Nava Lauson CB, Quinte’ A, Bertalot G, Petz WL, Ravenda SP, Licursi V, Paci P, Rasponi M, Rotta L, Fazio N, Ren G, Fumagalli-Romario U, Schaefer MH, Campaner S, Lugli E, Nezi L, Manzo T. GZMK^high CD8+ T effector memory cells are associated with CD15^high neutrophil abundance in non-metastatic colorectal tumors and predict poor clinical outcome. Nature Communications 2022, 13: 6752
9. King O, Cruz-Moreira D, Sayed A, Kermani F, Kit-Anan W, Sunyovszki I, Wang BX, Downing B, Fourre J, Hachim D, Randi AM, Stevens MM, Rasponi M, Terracciano CM. Functional microvascularization of human myocardium in vitro. Cell Reports Methods 2022, 2(9): 100280 (DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2022.100280)
10. Krüger M, Ruppelt A, Kappler B, Van Soest E, Samsom RA, Grinwis GCM, Geijsen N, Helms JB, Stijnen M, Kock LM, Rasponi M, Kooistra HS, Spee B. Normothermic Ex Vivo Liver Platform Using Porcine Slaughterhouse Livers for Disease Modeling. Bioengineering 2022, 9(9), 471
11. Haase K, Piatti F, Marcano M, Shin Y, Visone R, Redaelli A, Rasponi M, Kamm RD. Physiologic flow-conditioning limits vascular dysfunction in engineered human capillaries. Biomaterials 2022, 280:121248 (DOI: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2021.121248)
12. Mazzara PG, Criscuolo E, Rasponi M, Massimino L, Muggeo S, Palma C, Castelli M, Clementi M, Burioni R, Mancini N, Broccoli V*, Clementi N*.A human stem cell-derived neurosensory-epithelial circuitry on-a-chip to model herpes simplex virus reactivation. Biomedicines 2022, 10(9), 2068 (DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10092068

2021

13. Ferrari E, Ugolini GS, Piutti C, Marzorati S, Rasponi M. Plasma-enhanced protein patterning in a microfluidic compartmentalized platform for multi-organs-on-chip: a liver-tumor model. Biomedical Materials 2021 Jun 7;16(4). doi: 10.1088/1748-605X/ac0454
14. Carlos-Oliveira M, Lozano-Juan F, Occhetta P, Visone R, Rasponi M. Current strategies of mechanical stimulation for maturation of cardiac microtissues. Biophys Rev. 2021 Sep 10;13(5):717-727. doi: 10.1007/s12551-021-00841-6
15. Pirosa A, Tankus EB, Mainardi A, Occhetta P, Dönges L, Baum C, Rasponi M, Martin I, Barbero A. Modeling In Vitro Osteoarthritis Phenotypes in a Vascularized Bone Model Based on a Bone-Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Cell Line and Endothelial Cells. Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Sep 3;22(17):9581. doi: 10.3390/ijms22179581
16. Ferrari E, Rasponi M. Liver-Heart on chip models for drug safety. APL Bioengineering 2021 Jul 14;5(3):031505. doi: 10.1063/5.0048986
17. Visone R, Ugolini GS, Cruz-Moreira D, Marzorati S, Piazza S, Pesenti E, Redaelli A, Moretti M, Occhetta P*, Rasponi M*. Micro-electrode channel guide (µECG) technology: An online method for continuous electrical recording in a human beating heart-on-chip. Biofabrication 2021, 13(3):035026.
18. Cruz-Moreira D, Visone R, Vasques-Nóvoa F, Barros AS, Leite-Moreira A, Redaelli A, Moretti M, Rasponi M. Assessing the influence of perfusion on cardiac microtissue maturation: A heart-on-chip platform embedding peristaltic pump capabilities. Biotechnology and Bioengineering 2021 Aug;118(8):3128-3137. doi: 10.1002/bit.27836
19. Mondadori C, Palombella S, Salehi S, Talò G, Visone R, Rasponi M, Redaelli A, Sansone V, Moretti M, Lopa S.Recapitulating monocyte extravasation to the synovium in an organotypic microfluidic model of the articular joint. Biofabrication 2021 Jul 7;13(4). doi: 10.1088/1758-5090/ac0c5e
20. Mainardi A, Carminati F, Ugolini GS, Occhetta P, Isu G, Robles Diaz D, Reid G, Visone R, Rasponi M*, Marsano A*. A dynamic microscale mid-throughput fibrosis model to investigate the effects of different ratios of cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts. Lab on a Chip, 2021 Oct 26;21(21):4177-4195. doi: 10.1039/d1lc00092f
21. Polidoro MA*, Ferrari E*, Marzorati S, Lleo A*, Rasponi M*. Experimental liver models: from cell culture techniques to microfluidic organs-on-chip. Liver International 2021 (In press).
22. Pagella P*, Cordiale A*, Marconi GD, Trubiani O, Rasponi M*, Mitsiadis TA*. Bioengineered culture systems to emulate and study regenerative and pharmacological processes in human dental tissues. eCM Journal 2021, 41:502-516.

2020

23. Mazzara PG, Muggeo S, Luoni M, Massimino L, Zaghi M, Tajalli-Tehrani Valverde P, Brusco S, Marzi MJ, Palma C, Colasante G, Iannielli A, Paulis M, Cordiglieri C, Giannelli SG, Podini P, Gellera C, Taroni F, Nicassio F, Rasponi M, Broccoli V. Frataxin gene editing rescues Friedreich's ataxia pathology in dorsal root ganglia organoid-derived sensory neurons. Nature Communications 2020, 11:4178.
24. Ferrari E, Palma C, Vesentini S, Occhetta P, Rasponi M. Integrating Biosensors in Organs-on-Chip Devices: A Perspective on Current Strategies to Monitor Microphysiological Systems. Biosensors 2020, 10(9):110.
25. Lopa S, Piraino F, Talò G, Mainardi VL, Bersini S, Pierro M, Zagra L, Rasponi M, Moretti M. Microfluidic biofabrication of 3D multicellular spheroids by modulation of non- geometrical parameters. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 2020, 8:366.
26. Roka-Moiia Y, Bozzi S, Ferrari C, Mantica G, Dimasi A, Rasponi M, Santoleri A, Scavone M, Consolo F, Cattaneo M, Slepian MJ, Redaelli A. The MICELI (MICrofluidic, ELectrical, Impedance): Prototyping a Point-of-Care Impedance Platelet Aggregometer. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2020, 21(4): 1174.

2019

27. Iannielli A, Ugolini GS, Cordiglieri C, Bido S, Rubio A, Colasante G, Valtorta M, Cabassi T, Rasponi M, Broccoli V. Reconstitution of the Human Nigro-striatal Pathway on-a-Chip Reveals OPA1-Dependent Mitochondrial Defects and Loss of Dopaminergic Synapses. Cell Reports 2019, 29: 4646–4656.
28. Occhetta P, Mainardi A, Votta E, Vallmajo-Martin Q, Ehrbar M, Martin I, Barbero A, Rasponi M. Hyperphysiological compression of articular cartilage induces an osteoarthritic phenotype in a cartilage-on-a-chip model. Nature Biomedical Engineering 2019, 3: 545–557.
29. Marcuzzo S, Terragni B, Bonanno S, Isaia D, Cavalcante P, Cappelletti C, Ciusani E, Rizzo A, Regalia G, Yoshimura N, Ugolini GS, Rasponi M, Bechi G, Mantegazza M, Mantegazza R, Bernasconi P, Minati L. Hyperexcitability in Cultured Cortical Neuron Networks from the G93A-SOD1 Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Model Mouse and its Molecular Correlates. Neuroscience 2019, 416: 88-99.
30. Ungaro F, Colombo P, Massimino L, Ugolini GS, Correale C, Rasponi M, Garlatti V, Rubbino F, Tacconi C, Spaggiari P, Spinelli A, Carvello M, Sacchi M, Spanò S, Vetrano S, Malesci A, Peyrin-Biroulet L, Danese S, D’Alessio S. Lymphatic endothelium contributes to colorectal cancer growth via the soluble matrisome component GDF11. International Journal of Cancer 2019, 145(7): 1913-1920.
31. Visone R, Ugolini GS, Vinarsky V, Penati M, Redaelli A, Forte G, Rasponi M. A Simple Vacuum‐Based Microfluidic Technique to Establish High‐Throughput Organs‐On‐Chip and 3D Cell Cultures at the Microscale. Advanced Materials Technologies 2019, 4(1):1800319.

2018

32. Visone R, Talò G, Occhetta P, Cruz-Moreira D, Lopa S, Pappalardo OA, Moretti M, Rasponi M. A microscale biomimetic platform for generation and electro-mechanical stimulation of 3D cardiac microtissues. APL Bioengineering . 2018, 2:046102.
33. Visone R, Talò G, Lopa S, Rasponi M, Moretti M. Enhancing all-in-one bioreactors by combining interstitial perfusion, electrical stimulation, on-line monitoring and testing within a single chamber for cardiac constructs. Scientific Reports  2018, 8:16944.
34. Occhetta P, Pigeot S, Rasponi M, Dasen B, Mehrkens A, Ullrich T, Kramer I, Guth-Gundel S, Barbero A, Martin I. Developmentally inspired programming of adult human mesenchymal stromal cells toward stable chondrogenesis. PNAS  2018, 115(18):4625-4630.
35. Ugolini GS, Occhetta P, Saccani A, Re F, Krol S, Rasponi M, Redaelli A. Design and validation of a microfluidic device for blood-brain barrier monitoring and transport studies. Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering  2018, 28, 044001.
36. Occhetta P, Isu G, Lemme M, Conficconi C, Oertle P, Raz C, Visone R, Cerino G, Plodinec M, Rasponi M, Marsano A. A three-dimensional in vitro dynamic micro-tissue model of cardiac scar formation.  Integrative Biology  2018, 10, 174-183.
37. Dimasi A, Roka-Moiia Y, Consolo F, Rasponi M, Fiore GB, Slepian MJ, Redaelli A. Microfluidic flow-based platforms for induction and analysis of dynamic shear-mediated platelet activation - Initial validation versus the standardized hemodynamic shearing device. Biomicrofluidics  2018, 12(4): 042208.

2017

37. Ugolini GS, Visone R, Redaelli A, Moretti M, Rasponi M. Generating Multicompartmental 3D Biological Constructs Interfaced through Sequential Injections in Microfluidic Devices. Advanced Healthcare Matererials  2017, 6, 1601170.
38. Giupponi E, Visone R, Occhetta P, Colombo F, Rasponi M, Candiani G. Development of a microfluidic platform for high-throughput screening of non-viral gene delivery vectors.Biotechnology and Bioengineering  2017, 115(3):775-784.
39. Ugolini GS, Visone R, Cruz-Moreira D, Redaelli A, Rasponi M. Tailoring cardiac environment in microphysiological systems: an outlook on current and perspective heart-on-chip platforms. Future Science OA  2017, 3, FSO191.
40. Dimasi A, Rasponi M, Consolo F, Fiore GB, Bluestein D, Slepian MJ, Redaelli A. Microfludic platforms for the evaluation of anti-platelet agent efficacy under hyper-shear conditions associated with ventricular assist devices. Medical Engineering and Physics  2017, 48, 31–38.
41. Dimasi A, Rasponi M, Consolo F, Redaelli A, Slepian M. Platelet Membrane-Related Morphologic Alterations: An Early Marker of Supra-Physiologic Shear-Mediated Platelet Activation Associated with VADs. The Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation  2017, 36, S11–S12.
42. Ugolini GS, Pavesi A, Rasponi M, Fiore GB, Kamm R, Soncini, M. Human cardiac fibroblasts adaptive responses to controlled combined mechanical strain and oxygen changes in vitro. Elife  2017, 6.

2016

44. Ugolini G, Cruz-Moreira D, Visone R, Redaelli A, Rasponi M. Microfabricated Physiological Models for In Vitro Drug Screening Applications. Micromachines  2016, 7(12):233.
45. Zhang YS, Arneri A, Bersini S, Shin SR, Zhu K, Goli-Malekabadi Z, Aleman J, Colosi C, Busignani F, Dell'Erba V, Bishop C, Shupe T, Demarchi D, Moretti M, Rasponi M, Dokmeci MR, Atala A, Khademhosseini A. Bioprinting 3D microfibrous scaffolds for engineering endothelialized myocardium and heart-on-a-chip. Biomaterials 2016, 110:45-59.
46. Visone R; Gilardi M; Marsano A; Rasponi M; Bersini S; Moretti M. Cardiac Meets Skeletal: What’s New in Microfluidic Models for Muscle Tissue Engineering. Molecules  2016, 21, 1128.
47. Gowran A*, Rasponi M*, Visone R, Nigro P, Perrucci GL, Righetti S, Zanobini M, Pompilio G. Young at Heart: Pioneering Approaches to Model Nonischaemic Cardiomyopathy with Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells. Stem Cells International 2016, Article ID 4287158, 15 pages
48. Consolo F, Dimasi A, Rasponi M, Valerio L, Pappalardo F, Bluestein D, Slepian MJ, Fiore GB, Redaelli A. Microfluidic approaches for the assessment of blood cell trauma: a focus on thrombotic risk in mechanical circulatory support devices. Journal of Artificial Organs  2016, 39, 184–193.
49. Occhetta P, Glass N, Otte E, Rasponi M, Cooper-White JJ. Stoichiometric control of live cell mixing to enable fluidically-encoded co-culture models in perfused microbioreactor arrays. Integrative Biology 2016, 8, 194–204.
50. Marsano A, Conficconi C, Lemme M, Occhetta P, Gaudiello E, Votta E, Cerino G, Redaelli A, Rasponi M. Beating heart on a chip: a novel microfluidic platform to generate functional 3D cardiac microtissues. Lab on a Chip  2016, 16, 599–610.
51. Occhetta P, Licini M, Redaelli A, Rasponi M. Design of a microfluidic strategy for trapping and screening single cells. Medical Engineering and Physics  2016, 38, 33–40.
52. Ugolini GS, Rasponi M, Pavesi A, Santoro R, Kamm R, Fiore GB, Pesce M, Soncini M. On-chip assessment of human primary cardiac fibroblasts proliferative responses to uniaxial cyclic mechanical strain. Biotechnology and Bioengineering  2016, 113, 859–69.
53. Russo L, Sgambato A, Visone R, Occhetta P, Moretti M, Rasponi M, Nicotra F, Cipolla L. Gelatin hydrogels via thiol-ene chemistry. Monatshefte fur Chemie. 2016; 147: 587-592.

2015

54. Dimasi A, Rasponi M, Sheriff J, Chiu W-C, Bluestein D, Tran PL, Slepian MJ, Redaelli A. Microfluidic emulation of mechanical circulatory support device shear-mediated platelet activation. Biomedical Microdevices  2015, 17, 117.
55. Rasponi M, Gazaneo A, Bonomi A, Ghiglietti A, Occhetta P, Fiore GB, Pessina A, Redaelli A. Lab-on-Chip for testing myelotoxic effect of drugs and chemicals. Microfluidics and Nanofluidics  2015, 19, 935–940.
56. Boccafoschi F, Rasponi M, Ramella M, Ferreira AM, Vesentini S, Cannas M. Short-term effects of microstructured surfaces: role in cell differentiation toward a contractile phenotype. Journal of Applied Biomaterials and Functional Materials  2015, 13, 0–0.
57. Pavesi A, Adriani G, Rasponi M, Zervantonakis IK, Fiore GB, Kamm RD. Controlled electromechanical cell stimulation on-a-chip. Scientific Reports  2015, 5, 11800.
58. Occhetta P, Centola M, Tonnarelli B, Redaelli A, Martin I, Rasponi M. High-Throughput Microfluidic Platform for 3D Cultures of Mesenchymal Stem Cells, Towards Engineering Developmental Processes. Scientific Reports  2015, 5, 10288.
59. Lopa S, Piraino F, Kemp RJ, Di Caro C, Lovati AB, Di Giancamillo A, Moroni L, Peretti GM, Rasponi M, Moretti M. Fabrication of multi-well chips for spheroid cultures and implantable constructs through rapid prototyping techniques. Biotechnology and Bioengineering  2015, 112, 1457–1471.
60. Occhetta P, Malloggi C, Gazaneo A, Redaelli A, Candiani G, Rasponi M. High-throughput microfluidic platform for adherent single cells non-viral gene delivery. RSC Advances 2015, 5, 5087–5095.
61. Occhetta P, Visone R, Russo L, Cipolla L, Moretti M, Rasponi M. VA-086 methacrylate gelatine photopolymerizable hydrogels: A parametric study for highly biocompatible 3D cell embedding. Journals of Biomedical Materials Research Part A 2015, 103, 2109–2117.

2011-2014

62. Occhetta P, Sadr N, Piraino F, Redaelli A, Moretti M, Rasponi M. Fabrication of 3D cell-laden hydrogel microstructures through photo-mold patterning. Biofabrication 2013, 5, 35002.
63. Pennella F, Rossi M, Ripandelli S, Rasponi M, Mastrangelo F, Deriu MA, Ridolfi L, Kähler C J, Morbiducci U. Numerical and experimental characterization of a novel modular passive micromixer. Biomedical Microdevices 2012, 14, 849–862.
64. Biffi E, Piraino F, Pedrocchi A, Fiore GB, Ferrigno G, Redaelli A, Menegon A, Rasponi M. A microfluidic platform for controlled biochemical stimulation of twin neuronal networks. Biomicrofluidics 2012, 6, 24106.
65. Biffi E, Menegon A, Piraino F, Pedrocchi A, Fiore GB, Rasponi M. Validation of long-term primary neuronal cultures and network activity through the integration of reversibly bonded microbioreactors and MEA substrates. Biotechnology and Bioengineering 2012, 109, 166–175.
66. Piraino F, Camci-Unal G, Hancock MJ, Rasponi M, Khademhosseini A. Multi-gradient hydrogels produced layer by layer with capillary flow and crosslinking in open microchannels. Lab on a Chip 2012, 12, 659–661.
67. Rasponi M, Piraino F, Sadr N, Laganà M, Redaelli A, Moretti M. Reliable magnetic reversible assembly of complex microfluidic devices: fabrication, characterization, and biological validation. Microfluidics and Nanofluidics 2011, 10, 1097–1107.
68. Pavesi A, Piraino F, Fiore GB, Farino KM, Moretti M, Rasponi M. How to embed three-dimensional flexible electrodes in microfluidic devices for cell culture applications. Lab on a Chip 2011, 11, 1593.
69. Rasponi M, Ullah T, Gilbert RJ, Fiore GB, Thorsen TA. Realization and efficiency evaluation of a micro-photocatalytic cell prototype for real-time blood oxygenation. Medical Engineering and Physics 2011, 33, 887–92.

Prizes and Honors

Journal Awards

Anna Marsano, Chiara Conficconi, Marta Lemme, Paola Occhetta, Emanuele Gaudiello, Emiliano Votta, Giulia Cerino, Alberto Redaelli, Marco Rasponi.
“Beating heart on a chip: a novel microfluidic platform to generate functional 3D cardiac microtissues” 
One of the top 25 most downloaded articles published in the journal in 2016, and has been included in the Lab on a Chip 2016 Most Downloaded Articles collection.

Giovanni S Ugolini, Marco Rasponi, Andrea Pavesi, Rosaria Santoro, Roger Kamm, Gianfranco B Fiore, Maurizio Pesce, Monica Soncini.
"On-chip assessment of human primary cardiac fibroblasts proliferative responses to uniaxial cyclic mechanical strain"  
Cover page of Biotechnology and Bioengineering 2016, 113, 859–69.

Paola Occhetta, Nasser Sadr, Francesco Piraino, Alberto Redaelli, Matteo Moretti, Marco Rasponi.
"Fabrication of 3D cell-laden hydrogel microstructures through photo-mold patterning"  
Selected as part of the 2013 Highlights of Biofabrication.

Conference Awards

Roberta Visone, Simona Marzorati, Valeria Perego, Paola Occhetta, Enrico Pesenti, Marco Rasponi.
"uHeart: a beating heart-on-chip platform for on-line recording of functional 3D cardiac microtissues’ electrical activity"
First place in the 2019 Jr. Investigator Poster Contest at the Safety Pharmacology Society 2019 Annual Meeting. September 23-26, 2019, Barcelona, Spain.

Roberta Visone, Andrea Mainardi, Paola Occhetta, Marco Rasponi.
"Beating organs-on-chip as advanced tools in drug screening: engineered in vitro models of human organs and diseases"
Young Scientist Travel Award (YSTA) at the 22nd European Congress on Alternatives to Animal Testing - EUSAAT 2019. October 10-13, 2019, Linz, Austria.

BiomimX Team
"Beating organs on chip advancing drug screening". 
Business Plan Competition (BPC) FIRST PRIZE at the Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) World Congress 2018. September 4-7, 2018, Kyoto, Japan.

Andrea Mainardi, Paola Occhetta, Emiliano Votta, Martin Ehrbar, Ivan Martin, Andrea Barbero, Marco Rasponi.
"Cartilage-on-chip model: Triggering osteoarthritis traits through mechanical compression"
Best poster award in the track “Biomaterials and tissue engineering” at the Sixth National Congress of Bioengineering. June 25-27, 2018, Milano, Italy.

Annalisa Dimasi, Marco Rasponi, Filippo Consolo, Lorenzo Valerio, Gianfranco B Fiore, Danny Bluestein, Marvin I Slepian, Alberto Redaelli.
"Microfluidic emulator of ventricular assist device shear stress patterns: lab-on-a-chip test benches for platelet activation under dynamic device-like shear flow"
Best poster award at the European Society of Biomechanics (ESB) Conference. 5-8 july 2015 Prague, Czech Republic.

PhD Thesis Awards

Roberta Visone
"Development of advanced cell culture platforms to engineer and assess functional cardiac in vitro tissue models"
2018 "Gruppo Nazionale di Bioingegneria"
Award "ENZO BELARDINELLI" for original and innovative PhD Thesis in Biomedical Engineering 

Giovanni Stefano Ugolini
"Multi-layer micro devices for advanced cell culture applications"
2017 "Gruppo Nazionale di Bioingegneria"
Award "ALBERTO MAZZOLDI" for original and innovative PhD Thesis in Biomedical Engineering

MSc Thesis Awards

Caterina Pernici
"Development of an electrical stimulation circuit for advanced culture of induced pluripotent stem cells in a heart-on-chip platform"
2022 "Gruppo Nazionale di Bioingegneria"
Award "Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell'Informazione - Università di Padova" for original and innovative MSc Thesis in Biomedical Engineering

Federico Nebuloni
"Development of a continuous flow high-throughput inertial microfluidic device for the filtration of white blood cells nuclei"
2019 "Gruppo Nazionale di Bioingegneria"
Award "Franco Maria Montevecchi, Politecnico di Torino" for original and innovative MSc Thesis in Biomedical Engineering

Miriam Penati
"Development of a mid-throughput microfluidic platform for advanced 3D cell culture: drug screening of iPSC-based cardiac microtissue models"
2018 "Gruppo Nazionale di Bioingegneria"
Award "Laboratorio di Bioingegneria e Bioinformatica, Università di Roma La Sapienza" for original and innovative MSc Thesis in Biomedical Engineering

Chiara Conficconi and Marta Lemme
"Design of a microfluidic device for cyclic mechanical stimulation of three-dimensional cardiac cell constructs"
2015 "Gruppo Nazionale di Bioingegneria"
Award "Laboratory of Biological Structure Mechanics, Politecnico di Milano" for original and innovative MSc Thesis in Biomedical Engineering

Andrea Arneri
"Bioprinting of three-dimensional fibrous scaffolds for cardiac Tissue Engineering"
2015 "Gruppo Nazionale di Bioingegneria"
Award "Franco Maria Montevecchi, Politecnico di Torino" for original and innovative MSc Thesis in Biomedical Engineering

Roberta Visone
"Sviluppo di una camera di coltura per elettrostimolazione e indagine ottica di costrutti tridimensionali in perfusione confinata"
2014 "Gruppo Nazionale di Bioingegneria"
Award "Laboratorio di Modellistica e Controllo di Sistemi Biologici, Università di Padova" for original and innovative MSc Thesis in Biomedical Engineering

Collaborations

Collaborations

Cell and Tissue Engineering Lab - IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Italy

Humanitas Clinical and Research Center, Italy

Unit of Vascular Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Centro Cardiologico Monzino, Italy

Chromatin Dynamic Unit, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Italy

Stem cells and Neurogenesis Unit, Division of Neuroscience, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Italy

Center for translational medicine, St. Anne’s University Hospital, Czech Republic

Institute for Surgical Research and Hospital Management, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland

Department of Experimental Oncology, IEO - Istituto Europeo di Oncologia, Italy

Center for Biomimetic Medicine, Houston Methodist Research Institute, U.S.A.

Equipment and available technologies

Equipment

• Flow hood for clean operations
• Plasma cleaner
• Dessicator
• Vacuum pumps
• Precision scaler
• Spin-coater
• Oven
• Syringe pumps
• Stereomicroscope
• Control system for digital microfluidic applications

Available technologies

• PDMS microstructuring
• Surface plasma activation and bonding (PDMS, glass, polycarbonate, polystyrene, etc.)
• Micropatterning of proteins by contact printing
• Application of controlled shear-rates to cells in microchannels
• Application of controlled mechanical strain to 2D cell culture or 3D cell-laden hydrogels
• Oxygen control with microfluidics
• Generation of controlled linear and logarithmic gradients of soluble and non-soluble materials (growth factors, cells, chemicals)
• Digital control of microfluidic valves and channels

Funding

MiMic Lab is grateful to the following funders supporting our research:

EU-H2020

“SINERGIA: advanced technologieS for drug dIscovery and precisioN mEdicine: in vitRo modellinG human physiology and diseAse (MSCA-ITN-2019-860715)” - (2019-2023)

"uKNEEversal: a miniaturized 3D in vitro model of human joint to gain new knowledge on Osteoarthritis pathophysiology (H2020-MSCA-IF-2018" - (2019-2021)

"BrainCircuit-on-chip (ERC-2018-PoC-842423" - (2019-2020)

“MUSICARE: MUltiSectoral Integrative approaches to CArdiac caRE (MSCA-ITN-2014-642458)” - (2014-2018)

Cariplo Foundation

"uKNEEque: a 3D microfluidic osteochondral model to investigate mechanisms triggering age-related joint pathologies and therapeutic effects of bioactive factors produced by nasal chondrocytes" (2019-2022)

“Nanoparticles transport through the blood brain barrier in health and disease” (2014-2017)

“Smart nanostructured hydrogel systems for generation of contractile cardiac organoids” (2013-2016)

“Lab on Chip for testing Myelotoxicity effect of Drugs and chemicals” (2012-2014)

“Microfluidic large scale integrated devices with individual chamber control functionalized” (2009-2011)

Italian Ministry of Education, Universities and Research

“LMNA-related cardiomyopathy as a paradigm of cardiovascular precision medicine: innovative diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic approaches” (2017-2019)

Italian Ministry of Health

“Cholangiocytes-on-a-chip: a platform to identify medical therapy” (2018-2020)

“Creation of a national network of IIZZSS laboratories involved in the development and application of alternative methods, and in the implementation of the good laboratory practice system” (2017-2018)

“Microfluidic organotypic model of monocyte transendothelial migration to the joint for the screening of promising therapeutic strategies in obese osteoarthritic patients” (2016-2019)

“Development of methodologies alternative to the animal use in the activities of diagnostics and control of biological products in Zooprophylactic Institutes” (2016-2017)

Swiss National Foundation

“A 3D microfluidic osteochondral model to investigate mechanisms triggering osteoarthritis and therapeutic effects of bioactive factors produced by human nasal chondrocytes” (2017-2020)

Open positions

We are always looking for brilliant and motivated students to become part of our Team for their Master Thesis project.