Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine
The FibroPaths® project marked an important milestone in the development of human-based disease models. The aim of the project was to combine precision-cut human tissue models from the lung, heart, and liver with microfluidic systems and AI-based analysis in order to enable organ-specific, mechanistic, and long-term investigation of fibrotic diseases. A key focus was on improving the predictive power of preclinical testing for antifibrotic therapies.
Within FibroPaths®, platforms for the long-term cultivation and functional characterization of human tissue slices were established. These were complemented by AI-assisted image analysis and digital pathology, molecular readouts, and organ-specific functional assays, including toxicological endpoints. This enabled the modeling of disease-relevant extracellular matrix remodeling processes and cellular interactions under physiologically relevant conditions.
The project was conducted across institutes under the leadership of Fraunhofer ITEM, in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institutes IWS, IMW, and MEVIS. FibroPaths® provides a robust foundation for the translation of human-based fibrosis models into industrial applications and strengthens Fraunhofer’s position in the field of innovative, animal-free testing systems for chronic diseases.
