Approach to research
Animal models have failed to recreate the complexity of MASLD. MIMIC’s approach will use in vitro models to replicate communication between the different organ systems implicated in the disease.
In vitro models use isolated cells and tissues outside the living body and can come in many forms, including stem-cell derived cell and tissue aggregates that display some organ features on a smaller scale (organoids), tissue slices removed during surgery (ex vivo/explant tissue cultures), and organ-on-chips, which combine cell culture with microfluidics to mimic the structure and function of different organ tissues.
In vitro models will also provide new alternatives, helping to reduce the reliance on animal models in research and drug development, and support the Government’s ‘Replacing animals in science - a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods.’