About the Webinar
Animal models have long been a cornerstone of preclinical drug development, yet their ability to predict human drug toxicity remains limited. Differences in enzyme expression, metabolic pathways, and immune responses often lead to unexpected toxicities in clinical trials, contributing to high attrition rates. In response, regulatory agencies are increasingly supporting new approach methodologies (NAMs) that leverage human-relevant data. The FDA has recently released draft guidance to help validate NAMs as alternatives to animal testing, while funding bodies such as the NIH, ARPA-H, and Horizon Europe are actively investing in innovative, human-based research approaches.
In this webinar, Prof. Shaochen Chen (UC San Diego) will share insights from decades of pioneering work in biofabrication, focused on engineering physiologically relevant human tissues for drug development and regenerative medicine. He will also highlight their recent ARPA-H–funded initiative to develop a scalable, patient-specific bioprinted liver platform, integrating stem cell biology, advanced bioprinting, and artificial intelligence.
In conjunction, Dr. Ting-Yu Lu will present their recent work published in Advanced Functional Materials, demonstrating a bioprinted, perfusable multi-cellular liver model fabricated using DLP bioprinting on the BIONOVA X. This platform combines iPSC-derived cells with an MMP-degradable, biofunctional hydrogel, enabling precise spatial organization, cell-driven matrix remodeling, and sustained liver function under dynamic perfusion.
Join us to learn about:
- Why bioprinted human tissues are emerging as powerful NAMs for reducing reliance on animal models
- How bioprinting, stem cell technologies, and AI are shaping next-generation liver models
- Strategies to achieve precise tissue architecture and dynamic cell–matrix interactions using engineered hydrogels
- How dynamic perfusion enhances long-term hepatic function and improves the prediction of clinically relevant drug toxicity
About the Speakers
SPEAKER
Dr. Shaochen Chen received PhD in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley in 1999.
Currently he is Zable Endowed Chair Professor in the Department of Chemical and Nano Engineering at UC San Diego where he served as the Department Chair from 2019 to 2023.
Before joining UCSD, Dr. Chen had been a Professor and a Henderson Centennial Endowed Faculty Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin from 2001 to 2010. Between 2008 and 2010, he served as the Program Director for Nanomanufacturing at the US National Science Foundation.
He has published over 200 peer-reviewed papers in top journals such as Nature and Nature Medicine with research interests in biomaterials, bioprinting and tissue engineering.
Dr. Chen is a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors and a member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, a Fellow of AAAS, AIMBE, ASME, SME, & SPIE.
SPEAKER
Information
- Prof. Shaochen Chen
- Dr. Ting-Yu Lu
- 2 Jun. Tuesday
- 8 a.m. PDT | 11 a.m. EDT | 5 p.m. CEST | 4 p.m. BST
