Pregnancy-Associated Disease Organ-on-a-Chip Models to Pioneer Targeted Therapies

Introduction: Existing models of pregnancy exhibit significant differences in placental structure and function compared to humans and fail to replicate the dynamic environment. To address these limitations, we develop organ-on-a-chip (OoC) models—microscale devices that replicate physiological systems on a chip— to develop humanized pregnancy models for preclinical testing of targeted therapies using nanoparticles designed to limit fetal exposure by avoiding placental transport. Here, we simulate mechanisms of placental dysfunction associated with preeclampsia and pregnancy associated breast cancer (PABC).