@conference {2278,
	title = {Autonomous bioreactor modules for disease models and detection of systemic toxicity},
	booktitle = {ALTEX Proceedings},
	year = {2014},
	pages = {43},
	address = {Prague, Czech Republic},
	abstract = {<p>Advanced systems based on bioreactors and scaffolds are an essential step towards the development of more predictive and ethical alternatives to animal experiments. Size, modularity, automation, monitoring and essential design are crucial because these elements will ease the transition from old technology and accelerate their acceptance into mainstream research. Based on these requirements, the interconnected transparent sensorised {\^a}{\texteuro}{\oe}lego{\^a}{\texteuro} bioreactors designed in our labs have been used to generate physiologically relevant disease and toxicity models which recapitulate systemic responses impossible to observe in standard cell cultures. The disease model is an interconnected bioreactor circuit with i) adipose tissue in 3D in 3 different concentrations representing normo-weight, over weight and obese body mass indices, ii) human hepatocytes on porous collagen scaffolds and iii) monolayers of human endothelial cells. High adiposity and elevated glucose levels induce systemic and endothelial inflammation in the circuit, as observed in overweight and diabetic humans (Iori et al., 2012). Using similar technology a three-tissue circuit for monitoring the absorption, distribution, metabolism and toxicity of nanoparticles was developed in the context of the EU project InLiveTox (Ucciferri et al., 2014). The results were strikingly similar to those observed in animal experiments demonstrating that the dynamic 3D in-vitro models are ethical, meaningful and economically viable replacements.</p>
},
	keywords = {Bioengineering},
	author = {A. Ahluwalia and S. Giusti and Sbrana, T. and M. Wilkinson and A. Misto and Lehr, C.-M. and M. Liley},
	editor = {S. Horst and D. J{\'\i}rov{\'a}}
}
@article {1791,
	title = {In vitro toxicological screening of nanoparticles on primary human endothelial cells and the role of flow in modulating cell response},
	journal = {Nanotoxicology},
	year = {2013},
	abstract = {<p>Abstract After passage through biological barriers, nanomaterials inevitably end up in contact with the vascular endothelium and physiological flow, and can induce cardiovascular damage. In this study the toxicity and sublethal effects of 6 nanoparticles, including 4 of industrial and biomedical importance, on human endothelial cells was investigated using different in vitro assays. The results show that all the particles investigated induce some level of damage to the cells and that silver particles were most toxic, followed by titanium dioxide. Furthermore endothelial cells were shown to be more susceptible when exposed to silver nanoparticles under flow conditions in a bioreactor. The study underlines that although simple in vitro tests are useful to screen compounds and to identify the type of effect induced on cells, they may not be sufficient to define safe exposure limits. Therefore, once initial toxicity screening has been conducted on nanomaterials, it is necessary to develop more physiologically relevant in vitro models to better understand how nanomaterials can impact on human health.</p>
},
	keywords = {Bioengineering},
	issn = {1743-5404},
	doi = {10.3109/17435390.2013.831500},
	url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23909703},
	author = {Ucciferri, N and Collnot, E. M. and Gaiser, B. and Tirella, A and Stone, V. and C. Domenici and Lehr, C.-M. and A. Ahluwalia}
}
