'Organs-on-Chips': Kartik Balachandran Discusses His Research on Microphysiological Systems

University Relations

Kartik Balachandran

Short Talks from the Hill is now available wherever you get your podcasts. Download episodes and listen anywhere, anytime.

This month's Short Talks from the Hill features Kartik Balachandran, an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. Balachandran describes how microphysiological systems, also known as organs-on-chips, are revolutionizing the study of human health and disease.

Balachandran's research is focused on developing microphysiological systems that mirror the heart valve, the nasal-airway passage and the blood-brain barrier. Using organ-on-chips enables researchers to eliminate animal testing and proceed directly to human tissue and cell testing without the risk of endangering humans.

"Organ-on-chip systems are basically what I would call an upgrade from your regular two-dimensional cell culture systems that are quite commonly used all across biomedical research," Balachandran explains in the podcast. "And what it does is… it tries to recapitulate the three-dimensionality, the different cell types, all the different matrix proteins and other components that exist in organs to try and create a more complex model that one can use on the laboratory bench."

You can listen to Balachandran by clicking on the link above or by visiting arkansasresearch.uark.edu, the home of research and economic development news at the U of A.

And remember, you can now listen to Short Talks programming wherever you get your podcasts. Previous podcasts can be found at the link above or by visiting arkansasresearch.uark.edu.

Thank you for listening!