During the last four years the Institute of Biotechnology (Technische Universität Berlin) developed the multi-organ-chip (MOC) technology. With this technology it becomes possible to simulate the crosstalk between mini-organoids suitable to the human in vivo physiology.

In this project we will focus on the further development of cultivating ex vivo skin biopsies in the existing multi-organ chip in special heat supports outside the incubator. Various parameters, such as the influence of medium perfusion, variable humidity and an in vivo like temperature gradient to the cultured skin and its innate immunity will be investigated and optimized. Subsequently, this optimization work will be transferred to a new MOC generation and will be extended by the development of a skin-coculture with tissues of secondary immune organs.

This extension of the complexity is an approach towards the human physiological conditions. The investigation of circulating and sedentary immune cell populations in skin and lymphoid organs is thereby providing a better understanding of the interplay between these populations.

Further, the skin will be cultivated with sera from patients with autoimmune diseases to investigate the effect of auto-antibodies on the function of skin in vitro. By triggering actively an immune response using skin-penetrating pathogens the various reactions of the cells will be analyzed.

A stable equilibrium with the natural microbiome will serve as an indicator for the physiological innate immunity in the MOC cultures.