Exciting New Advancements in Respiratory Research from India Presented at the 4th MPS World Summit

Traditional in vitro systems and animal models often fail to replicate the complexity of the human respiratory system accurately. As an advancement in respiratory research, a team lead by Miss Pooja Sawant, a doctoral researcher under the mentorship of Dr. Prajakta Dandekar Jain and Dr. Ratnesh Jain, at the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai, has successfully developed a multi-well lung-on-chip (LoC) model to accurately recreate the human lung microenvironment for studying lung diseases and improving preclinical drug testing.

Miss Pooja presented her pioneering research on a global platform during a poster presentation at the 4th MPS World Summit on June 11, 2025 titled "Lung-on-Chip Model for Evaluation of Drugs Against COVID-19". This research highlights the remarkable work emerging from India in the in vitro field and the microphysiological systems (MPS) space, specifically focusing on the development of in vitro lung models using organ-on-chip platforms.

Here are the highlights of Pooja's and her team’s research and findings that she presented at the meeting

This 3D-printed microfluidic platform enables co-culture of lung epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and immune cells at an air-liquid interface (ALI), preserving critical physiological features. The model expresses key biomarkers such as ZO1, Muc5ac, cytokeratin, and ACE2, making it especially relevant for studying respiratory pathogens, including SARS-CoV-2.  Upon exposure to the recombinant S1 subunit of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, the system exhibited cytokine release consistent with early immune responses, validating its utility for:

• Investigating viral-host interactions

• Screening antiviral and immune-modulatory therapies

• Enhancing preclinical predictive accuracy

  
  

This lung-on-chip model introduces flow dynamics, cellular interactions, and tissue-specific responses, enabling more accurate studies of pathogens such as Influenza and RSV.  Beyond scientific capability, this model offers a promising alternative to animal testing, enabling human-relevant, scalable, and ethically sound respiratory research. 

As respiratory diseases remain a global health priority, the multi-well LoC platform represents a significant step toward more predictive and personalized therapeutic development.

Roper Toxicology Consulting Limited, Edinburgh, UK, was delighted to extend travel funding to Miss Pooja, supporting her participation at the 4th MPS World Summit.

Link to the meeting website - https://mpsworldsummit.org/

Link to the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai  https://www.ictmumbai.e