MiMic
Innovation Lab
Advancing microfluidic technologies and organ-on-chip systems for the future of biomedical research at Politecnico di Milano
About Our Lab
The MiMic Lab at the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering (DEIB) of Politecnico di Milano focuses on developing cutting-edge microfluidic technologies and organ-on-chip systems.
Our interdisciplinary team combines expertise in bioengineering, microfabrication, and cell biology to create innovative platforms for drug discovery, disease modeling, and personalized medicine.
Meet Our Team
EUROoCS Annual Meeting 2024, Politecnico di Milano
Lab Highlights
A curated selection of peer-reviewed results, core platforms, and leadership roles.
Featured Publications
Selected peer-reviewed papers showcasing key lab contributions.
- VWF deficiency impairs angiogenesis via Angpt-2Blood (2026)
- Compartmentalized Joint-on-Chip modelAdvanced Science (2025)
- Gut-on-a-chip with human faecal samples + peristalsisNature Biomedical Engineering (2025)
Core Capabilities
From microfluidic platforms to human-relevant models and technology transfer.
- Microfabrication & soft lithographyRapid iteration of microfluidic chips
- Human-relevant biological modelsDisease-focused models built on patient-derived / human systems
- IP & technology transfer7 patents filed, 3 transferred (licensing/translation)
Leadership & Awards
Leadership roles and translational impact across the European OoC/MPS ecosystem.
- Marco RasponiChair, EUROoCS
- Paola OcchettaVice President (Regulatory Adoption & Partnerships), IAMPS
- BiomimXPolitecnico di Milano spin-off (2017) — organs-on-chip platforms
Research Topics
Explore our main research focus areas and ongoing projects
Latest News
Stay updated with our latest achievements and upcoming events
The Human Body in Miniature: MiMic Lab at the International Engineering Festival
The MiMic Lab took part in the International Engineering Festival hosted at Politecnico di Milano's Leonardo Campus with "Il corpo umano in miniatura" (The human body in miniature), a hands-on activity curated by Prof. Marco Rasponi and Prof. Paola Occhetta and dedicated to children aged 6 to 12. Among prototypes, microscopes and pipettes, young visitors built their own organ-on-chip and discovered what really happens during an experiment, exploring the European projects PHOENIX, BuonMarrow, EvOoC and AI-RITMIA: miniaturized models of human organs used to test drugs, study tumours and genetic diseases, and drastically reduce animal testing. A small open laboratory to touch the future of bioengineering with your own hands — designed for budding scientists.
PHOENIX Consortium Gathers at Politecnico di Milano for the First Project Monitoring
The PHOENIX consortium met at Politecnico di Milano for three intense days (September 16–18, 2026) on the occasion of the project's first monitoring, reviewing the results of the first reporting period. Coordinated by the MiMic Lab, PHOENIX (Precision Human Organs-on-chip for Enhanced Neuro-muscular and Cardiac Studies, Horizon Europe) brings together nine partners from four EU countries to develop the next generation of human-based organs-on-chip. The meeting was an opportunity to align on the progress of the two core platforms — μHeart, modelling functional cardiac tissues, and μNMC, modelling neuro-muscular circuits — and to plan the upcoming milestones with the whole consortium reunited in Milan.
AI-RITMIA Officially Kicks Off at Humanitas Research Hospital
With the kick-off meeting held at Humanitas Research Hospital on September 15, 2026, the European project AI-RITMIA has officially started. Funded under the Horizon Europe – EIC Pathfinder programme and coordinated by Prof. Paola Occhetta, AI-RITMIA aims to establish a conclusive link between unclassified genetic variants (VUS) and the clinical manifestations of inherited cardiomyopathies — a major cause of heart disease and of mortality in young patients. For the first time, the project will interface three currently diverging sectors: patient-specific in vitro modelling, in silico simulation with AI-based data handling, and clinical evaluation. The result will be an AI-guided, patient-specific heart-on-chip diagnostic platform of clinical grade, capable of correlating functional in vitro profiling with the clinical outcomes of VUS-carrying patients and returning a pathogenicity score directly to clinicians, to unlock informed diagnosis and therapeutic decisions.
Get in Touch
Interested in learning more about what we do, collaborating with us, or joining our team?
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