Therapeutic Technologies
Mechanopharmacology
Mechanopharmacology is a discipline at the interface of biology and engineering examining the effects of physical forces on the response of cells, tissues and organs to drugs. Cellular mechanics strongly influences development, physiology and disease. New screening processes are needed to examine therapeutic candidates that target mechanoenzyme and/or cellular mechanical performance. The TTRI will bring together the expertise needed to achieve drug screening in microfluidic environments that are mechanically appropriate, with a focus on use of human cell culture.
The Therapeutic Technologies Research is focused on new applications of ethnopharmacology and organ-on-a-chip technology to transform drug-screening processes.
The Initiative has selected three Research Themes as initial areas of focus:
- Cell/Tissue/Organ-on-a-chip drug screening technology – Drug Evaluation.
- Cellular biomechanics – Mechanopharmacology.
- Stem cells and disease modeling.