This is where the newly approved FFG BRIDGE project “Microgravity Bone Simulation on a 3D Printed Microfluidic Chip” (µTARDIS) comes in. The bone regeneration group at the LBI Trauma is delighted to receive funding for the three-year project, which is being led by Jaroslaw Jacak in collaboration with the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria and is biologically supervised by Regina Brunauer. Lindinger Fischer OG is the industry project partner.

The project focuses on developing a reusable bone-on-a-chip platform that allows bone cells to be cultivated and observed long-term under near-weightless conditions. At the heart of the system is a 3-axis gyroscope whose rotation largely compensates for the effects of gravity. This is combined with integrated microfluidics for the precise delivery of culture media and the analysis of released factors, as well as with real-time imaging for continuous live recordings of the cells.

Human mesenchymal stromal cells from bone marrow are cultivated on high-resolution 3D-printed ceramic and protein-based scaffolds. These are manufactured using multiphoton lithography and allow for the targeted control of geometry, stiffness, and cell-matrix interactions, simulating a model of bone that is as close to natural bone structure as possible. This enables a better representation of the complex interactions between the different bone cell types than in conventional cell cultures. The innovative aspect lies not only in the study of cells in microgravity but also in the long-term viability of the platform. While many existing organ-on-a-chip systems are designed as short-lived, disposable products, µTARDIS allows for the continuous observation of bone remodeling processes under controlled space conditions.

The goal: to systematically investigate molecular and cellular reactions under simulated microgravity, enable long-term cultures with continuous monitoring, and gain insights for both space medicine and terrestrial diseases. Accelerated bone loss in space reflects processes that also occur in osteoporosis, joint degeneration, or prolonged bed rest.

In the long term, the platform could be used for drug testing and mechanistic studies. This strengthens Austria’s role in biomedical research at the interface of materials science, biology, and space medicine. And by simulating a biological “time machine,” it also allows for valuable insights into terrestrial diseases.