Microfluidic Organ-on-a-Chip: Bridging Drug Discovery to Precision Medicine
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pharmacology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 153
Special Issue Editors
Interests: drug analysis; microfluidic chip; life analysis and health
Interests: biomedical materials; drug delivery
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
In an era marked by unsustainable escalation in drug development costs and the persistent inadequacy of conventional preclinical models in predicting human clinical outcomes, the imperative for a transformative paradigm in biomedical research has never been clearer. Microfluidic organ-on-a-chip technology has arisen as a pivotal response to this challenge. By enabling the precise reconstitution of human organ-level microstructure, physiological microenvironment and dynamic biomechanical cues at the molecular level, such as the precise control of fluid flow to mimic blood perfusion and the incorporation of specific extracellular matrix components to support cell adhesion and signaling, this platform offers a revolutionary in vitro methodology. As a profoundly interdisciplinary frontier synthesizing engineering, cell biology and clinical medicine, it presents a compelling opportunity not only to radically enhance the efficiency and predictive validity of drug screening by observing molecular responses within cells and tissues but also to accelerate the advent of personalized medicine, elucidate complex disease mechanisms at the molecular pathogenesis level and reduce reliance on animal experimentation.
This Special Issue, entitled “Microfluidic Organ-on-a-Chip: Bridging Drug Discovery to Precision Medicine,” seeks to compile pioneering research and critical insights that are driving this field forward. We warmly invite submissions of original work and insightful discussions encompassing, but not limited to, the following thematic areas:
- Technological Innovations and Platform Development: Novel chip architectures and materials that can precisely manipulate molecules and cells, multi-functional system integration, embedded sensing modalities, automation and high-throughput platforms.
- Disease Modeling and Mechanistic Investigation: Development of physiologically relevant disease models, simulation of pathophysiological processes at the molecular pathway level and study of host–pathogen or host-immune interactions by observing molecular interactions and signaling cascades.
- Applications in Drug Discovery and Development: Efficacy and toxicity assessment, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling, Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion, Toxicity profiling and drug repurposing.
- Personalized and Precision Medicine: Derivation of patient-specific models, prediction of individualized therapeutic responses and applications in oncology (tumor-on-a-chip) and immunotherapy evaluation by studying molecular mechanisms of tumor growth and immune response.
- Multi-Organ Systems and Convergent Research: Integrated human-on-a-chip platforms, investigation of inter-organ communication and systemic responses and applications for nanomedicine and targeted delivery systems by studying molecular interactions between nanomaterials and biological tissues.
- Translation, Standardization and Societal Impact: Challenges in scalable fabrication, regulatory validation frameworks, development of industry standards and consideration of associated ethical implications.
We envision this Special Issue serving as a dynamic forum for interdisciplinary discourse, highlighting tangible progress towards leveraging organ-on-a-chip technology to abbreviate development timelines, curtail costs and ultimately steer therapeutic innovation toward safer, more effective and patient-centric paradigms. We welcome submissions in various formats, including Original Research Articles, Comprehensive Reviews, Perspective pieces and Technical Notes, to collectively map the trajectory of this transformative discipline.
We invite you to contribute to this collective endeavor to redefine the future of biomedicine through the lens of microfluidic organ-on-a-chip technology. We anticipate your valuable submissions.
Dr. Yongjian Ai
Dr. Mengqi He
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- absorption
- distribution
- metabolism
- excretion
- toxicity
- host–pathogen
- host-immune
- pharmacokinetic
- pharmacodynamic
- absorption
- metabolism
- toxicity
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