Innovative 3D drug screening system

Closeup of the chamber system with muscle tissue attached to the elastic post system. Photo: Arne Hofemeier Biophysicist at Göttingen University receives ERC Proof of Concept Grant Professor Timo Betz, University of Göttingen, has been awarded a Proof of Concept (PoC) grant by the European Research Council (ERC) for his -TissMec- project to develop a 3D screening system to cultivate tissue and automatically stimulate and quantify its mechanical properties. PoC ERC grants provide top-up funding of €150,000 over 18 months to outstanding researchers, who have already received ERC funding, so that they can build on the innovation potential of their findings. Betz and his team have developed a 3D cell culture chamber to grow muscle and other tissue using a system where they can use high-resolution microscopy and measure forces close-up in the cell. This new funding will enable them to extend the usability of the chamber to other tissues. One application of this system is drug screening. Getting a new drug to market can cost billions and is a hugely time-consuming and expensive process, which includes animal testing before human trials - the most costly and difficult parts.