FURI | Spring 2019

Characterization of Human Myocardial Tissue Model on a Microfluidic Device

Myocardial infarction is the most prominent cause of heart failure in the U.S. affecting 5.8 million people yearly. Despite the increasing number of affected, there is a lack in understanding as to how the molecular cues involved in a heart attack are created and the specific interactions between the cells that create the formation of scar tissue. With microfluidics, an environment can be created where a physiologically relevant myocardium can be represented to model myocardial infarctions. This project utilizes microfluidics to validate human myocardium and the cellular interactions involved with cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts that are essential for intercellular communication.