EvoChip: pioneering comparative evolutionary biology using organ-on-a-chip models

Comparative biology is one of the main approaches to study animal evolution. However, research on living animals limits the resolution of the traits and processes that can be studied, due to biological, technical and ethical constraints.

Biomedical research has successfully implemented next-generation organ-on-a-chip models for in vitro research on human tissues.

I propose that generating such models from multiple wild organisms would enable many evolutionary questions to be tackled in a highly controlled and reproducible way, while reducing dependency on living animals.

I will showcase the potential of comparative studies on organ-on-a-chip models by addressing the response of evolutionary distinct species to key metabolites for energy balance and immune response, namely short-chain fatty acids.

Successful development and research on homologous chips from different species would produce a revolution on how animal evolution is studied.