News & Events
Stay updated with our latest research achievements, upcoming events, and laboratory activities.
EUROoCS 2026 — Call for Abstracts Open
Under the chairmanship of Prof. Marco Rasponi, the European Organ-on-Chip Society (EUROoCS) has opened abstract submissions for its 2026 Annual Meeting, to be held in Braga, Portugal (June 22–24, 2026). The conference will bring together the international MPS community for three days of cutting-edge science, with over 200 abstracts already received. Submit your work and join us in Braga!
Paola Occhetta Appointed Vice President of IAMPS
Prof. Paola Occhetta has been appointed Vice President for Regulatory Adoption & Partnerships of IAMPS — the Industry Alliance for MicroPhysiological Systems, the world's first industry association dedicated to representing MPS providers across Europe. In this role, she will support standardisation, validation, and constructive dialogue with regulators, accelerating the acceptance of MPS technologies and strengthening Europe's position as a global leader in human-relevant in vitro models.
Mattia Ballerini & Alessandro Cordiale Win DEIB Best Publication Award 2025
At the annual DEIB Christmas event, Mattia Ballerini and Alessandro Cordiale were among the winners of the "Premio alle migliori pubblicazioni dei giovani ricercatori" (Best Publications by Young Researchers Award), edition 2025 — selected from over 70 nominations. The awarded paper, published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, presents the gut-on-chip platform that predicts melanoma patient responses to immunotherapy. The full MiMic Lab author team includes Paola Occhetta and Marco Rasponi alongside collaborators from IEO, University of Texas, and other international institutions.
Marco Rasponi Delivers Opening Keynote at SESMOoC 2025 in Zaragoza
Prof. Marco Rasponi was invited to deliver the opening Plenary Lecture at the inaugural conference of SESMOoC — the Spanish Society of Microphysiology and Organ-on-Chip — held in Zaragoza on November 24–25, 2025. His talk, titled "Mechanical control in organs-on-chip models", highlighted the guiding principle "As simple as possible, as complex as needed" and emphasized how mechanical stimuli such as stretch, compression, and peristaltic motion enhance the physiological relevance of organ-on-chip systems. The event marked a milestone for the Spanish MPS community and its growing connection with EUROoCS.
PHOENIX Consortium Meeting at TU Delft
On November 17–18, 2025, the PHOENIX consortium met at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) for a two-day project meeting aimed at reviewing progress, discussing upcoming milestones, and refining the collaborative strategy. Hosted by Massimo Mastrangeli and the TU Delft team, the meeting brought together representatives from all partner institutions for intensive sessions dedicated to scientific updates, planning activities, and interdisciplinary exchange. Discussions highlighted both achievements reached in the first months of the project and the challenges ahead as PHOENIX moves forward, reaffirming the strong collaboration across academic institutions, SMEs, and industry partners in the consortium.
Bianca Aterini Wins Ecopa Award at EUROTOX 2025
PhD student Bianca Aterini received the Ecopa Award for Young Scientists at the 59th EUROTOX Congress in Athens. The award, granted by the European Consensus Platform for Alternatives (ECOPA), recognizes her development of a 3D in vitro model of the alveolar-capillary lung barrier — a "lung-on-chip" that reproduces respiratory gas exchange using human cells on a silicone substrate. Developed within the ANTHEM project, the model enables toxicological testing of pollutants without animal experimentation, offering a more ethical, effective, and cost-efficient platform.
MiMic Lab at MEETme Tonight — Researchers' Night in Milan
The MiMic Lab brought its organ-on-chip technologies to the heart of Milan at MEETme Tonight, hosted at the University of Milan. Adults and children experienced hands-on activities, from simulating experiments with colorful reagents to exploring the chips that replicate human organ functions. PIs Paola Occhetta and Marco Rasponi led dedicated workshops on organ-on-chip technologies within the Beating Cancer Pavilion, supported by the European project BuonMarrow.
Marco Rasponi Invited Lecture at EUROTOX 2025 in Athens
Prof. Marco Rasponi delivered an invited lecture at the 59th Congress of the European Societies of Toxicology (EUROTOX 2025), held at the Megaron Concert Hall in Athens, Greece, September 14–17, 2025. His contribution was part of session S05 on mechanical-driven carcinogenesis and organ-on-chip development, where he presented the MiMic Lab’s work on mechanically active organ-on-chip platforms and their applications in toxicological testing and safety assessment. The congress, themed “Toxicology addresses Society’s real-life risks for sustainable health and well-being”, highlighted the growing role of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) and microphysiological systems in regulatory science.
Marco Rasponi Appointed Chair of EUROoCS
During the MPS World Summit 2025 in Brussels, Prof. Marco Rasponi was announced as the next Chair of the European Organ-on-Chip Society (EUROoCS), effective July 1st, 2025. As Chair, Rasponi will lead the society's mission to facilitate organ-on-chip technology for life science research and promote human health, coordinating efforts across academia, industry, and regulatory bodies. His first major initiative will be the organization of EUROoCS 2026 in Braga, Portugal.
Elia Pennati Wins Best Poster Award at MPS World Summit 2025
Elia Pennati, PhD student in Bioengineering, received the Best Poster Award at the 4th MPS World Summit in Brussels for his research "A mechanically active biomimetic bone marrow-on-chip as in vitro model of the bone marrow niches". The study, conducted within the EU-funded BuonMarrow project and supervised by Prof. Marco Rasponi and Prof. Paola Occhetta, presents an innovative chip that recreates the three main zones of human bone marrow, supporting the cultivation of hematopoietic stem cells with mechanical stimulation.
MiMic Lab at the MPS World Summit 2025 in Brussels
An amazing week at the MPS World Summit — the premier global gathering for Microphysiological Systems, co-organized by EUROoCS. Our team presented eight posters covering a wide range of models — from bone marrow and cartilage to colorectal cancer, lung fibrosis, and cardiac disease. During the summit, our PI Marco Rasponi was announced as the next Chair of EUROoCS, effective July 1st, and Elia Pennati won the Best Poster Award for his bone marrow-on-chip research!
Eight Posters at MPS World Summit 2025 — Preview
Eight researchers from MiMic Lab presented their work across multiple poster sessions at the MPS World Summit 2025 in Brussels (June 9–13), covering microphysiological models from bone marrow and cartilage to colorectal cancer, lung fibrosis, and cardiac disease — reflecting the lab's commitment to engineering mechanically active organ-on-chip systems for more predictive in vitro models.
BuonMarrow Mid-Term Review Meeting in Barcelona
The BuonMarrow team gathered from May 4th to 6th, 2025, for its Mid-term Review Meeting, hosted by the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) in Barcelona. This three-day event marked a key moment in the project, providing an opportunity to assess progress, discuss results, and refine the roadmap for the upcoming phases. The meeting included a formal review session with external monitors, who evaluated the project’s technical and scientific developments and provided valuable feedback. Several internal working sessions enabled partners to align strategies and reinforce collaboration across work packages, strengthening the consortium’s shared vision for the next stages of this ambitious research journey.
Mattia Ballerini Featured on Frontiere Magazine
PhD researcher Mattia Ballerini was interviewed by Frontiere, the Politecnico di Milano magazine, about the gut-on-chip research project conducted in collaboration with the European Institute of Oncology. The article highlights how organ-on-chip technology — specifically the patented uBeat platform — can replicate human intestinal tissue functions to study complex diseases like melanoma and test immunotherapy responses in a personalized and effective way.
Congratulations to Our 12 Master's Thesis Graduates!
Twelve students successfully defended their Master's Theses carried out within the MiMic and EvOoC laboratories, some in collaboration with international institutions. Research topics ranged from cholangiocarcinoma-on-chip and vascularised gut models to heart-on-chip systems with electrophysiological detection, alveolar-capillary barriers, and the knee-heart axis on chip.
Marco Rasponi Featured in Focus Magazine — "Organi tascabili"
Prof. Marco Rasponi and the MiMic Lab are prominently featured in a multi-page article in Focus, Italy's leading popular science magazine. Written by journalist Vito Tartamella, the piece "Organi tascabili" (Pocket Organs) explores how organ-on-chip technology can revolutionize drug discovery and replace animal testing. The article showcases the MiMic Lab's work on lung-on-chip within the PNRR-funded ANTHEM project (€8.5M), the uBeat patented technology for heart and intestine models, and the European Phoenix project for rare cardiac and neuromuscular diseases.
Gut-on-Chip Predicts Melanoma Immunotherapy Response — Published in Nature Biomedical Engineering
A groundbreaking study by MiMic Lab and the European Institute of Oncology, published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, presents a gut-on-chip device capable of predicting melanoma patients' responses to immunotherapy. Using the patented uBeat technology, the chip reproduces peristaltic bowel movements to differentiate intestinal populations from human organoids, creating a highly realistic environment. Lead author Mattia Ballerini found that non-responders' microbiota exhibits pro-inflammatory characteristics damaging the gut epithelial barrier. The study was coordinated by Prof. Marco Rasponi and Prof. Luigi Nezi (IEO).
PHOENIX Project Kick-Off Meeting in Milan
On February 3–4, 2025, the PHOENIX project officially launched with a two-day kick-off meeting held in Milan, hosted by the coordinating institution Politecnico di Milano. PHOENIX is a Horizon Europe-funded research project that aims to develop next-generation, human-based Organ-on-Chip platforms, with a specific focus on neuro-muscular and cardiac models. All partners gathered to discuss the scientific and technological roadmap, outlining key innovations and collaborative strategies for the next four years. Bringing together leading academic institutions, SMEs, and industry partners from across Europe, PHOENIX is poised to accelerate drug development and enhance patient care through innovative OoC technologies.
MiMic Lab Organizes the EUROoCS Annual Meeting 2024 in Milan
The MiMic Lab organized the EUROoCS Annual Meeting 2024, held at Politecnico di Milano from July 3 to 5. The event brought together over 300 researchers, clinicians, and industry leaders from across Europe and beyond to discuss the latest advances in organ-on-chip and microphysiological systems. The three-day conference featured keynote lectures, oral sessions, poster presentations, and networking events, highlighting the growing impact of OoC technologies in drug discovery, disease modeling, and regulatory science. The meeting was co-organized by Prof. Marco Rasponi and Prof. Paola Occhetta, reinforcing the MiMic Lab's central role in the European OoC community.
MiMic Lab at EUROoCS Annual Meeting 2024 — Talks & Posters
The MiMic Lab team presented a strong lineup of talks and posters at the EUROoCS Annual Meeting 2024, showcasing the latest advances in mechanically active organ-on-chip models — from cartilage and gut systems to lung fibrosis, neuromuscular circuits, and vascularized cancer models. Mattia Ballerini was awarded 1st place for Best Poster Presentation!
Mattia Ballerini Wins Best Poster Award at EUROoCS 2024
Congratulations to Mattia Ballerini for receiving the 1st Place Best Poster Presentation Award at the EUROoCS Annual Meeting 2024! His poster on a 3D mechanically-active gut-on-chip platform, which enables prediction of melanoma response to immune checkpoint inhibitors based on fecal microbiome, was recognized for its innovative approach and scientific impact.
MiMic Lab Researchers at EUROoCS 2024 — Poster Previews
Four MiMic Lab researchers presented posters at the EUROoCS Conference 2024 in Milan: Mattia Ballerini on a gut-on-chip model for melanoma immunotherapy, Teresa Lucifora on a lung-on-chip model for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, Elisa Monti on cartilage-on-chip for mechanical cues in pathology, and Tatiana Mencarini on a blood vessel-on-chip model of thrombosis.
BuonMarrow Project Kick-Off Meeting at Politecnico di Milano
The kick-off meeting of the BuonMarrow project took place at Politecnico di Milano on April 3, 2024, with all partners attending in person. The coordinator provided an overview of the EIC financing scheme and the project goals, followed by presentations from all partners showcasing their expertise and research status. The meeting also covered project management, governance bodies, ethical issues, and data management, concluding with a consortium dinner.
Marco Rasponi Presents at the First MEDTEC Research Day
Prof. Marco Rasponi and Prof. Ana Lleo De Nalda (Humanitas University) presented the flagship project "Cholangiocytes-on-a-chip: a platform to identify medical therapy" at the first MEDTEC Research Day, organized by Humanitas University and Politecnico di Milano. The project aims to develop and characterize a human 3D liver tumor model (cholangiocarcinoma-on-chip) that could accelerate personalized medicine approaches. The event celebrated four years of the MEDTEC Degree Course and highlighted innovative projects pushing the boundary between medicine and engineering, with presentations on interdisciplinary research including the PNRR-funded ANTHEM project.
Paola Occhetta Awarded ERC Starting Grant for EvOoC Project
Prof. Paola Occhetta has been awarded a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant worth €1.5 million over five years for the project EvOoC (Evolving Organs-on-Chip). The project aims to develop intelligent, mechanically active organs-on-chip platforms to identify mechanisms involved in regeneration and degeneration of cardiac and musculoskeletal tissue. Combining principles of micro-fabrication, developmental biology, mechanobiology, and artificial intelligence, EvOoC introduces revolutionary methods in tissue engineering and disease modelling. It was one of only four ERC Starting Grants awarded to Politecnico di Milano in 2022, selected from nearly 3,000 proposals (13.9% success rate).
SINERGIA Project Launches — 15 Early-Stage Researchers Recruited
The SINERGIA project, a €4M H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network coordinated by Prof. Marco Rasponi at Politecnico di Milano, has completed recruitment of all 15 Early-Stage Researchers across 6 countries. SINERGIA (Advanced technologieS for drug dIscovery and precisioN mEdicine) brings together 5 universities, 5 companies (including BiomimX), and 4 hospitals to develop breakthrough in vitro preclinical platforms using microfluidics, organ-on-chip, 3D-printing, and iPSC technologies for drug discovery and precision medicine.
Cartilage-on-Chip Published in Nature Biomedical Engineering
A landmark paper from MiMic Lab was published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, presenting a sophisticated coin-sized chip in which it is possible to cultivate cartilage and subject it to mechanical stimulation to reproduce the effects of osteoarthritis: inflammation, hypertrophy, and progressive degradation. The study, coordinated by Marco Rasponi with Andrea Barbero of the University Hospital of Basel, created an ideal environment for drug efficacy testing while reducing experimental time, costs, and the need for animal testing. This led to the Cariplo-funded "uKNEEque" project for modeling an entire joint on chip.
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