The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) has made a decisive advance in the field of precision medicine with the development of a microfluidic device that reproduces essential functions of the human liver, designed to evaluate the behavior of drugs before their clinical application. The project was created at the Laboratory of Mechanobiology of the Faculty of Sciences (FC) and represents the first functional liver-on-a-chip developed in Latin America with standards comparable to those used in the United States, explained Genaro Vázquez Victorio, a full-time professor in the Department of Physics. This is a human organ reproduced in miniature. The system was manufactured using microelectronic technology used in mobile phones and computers, adapted to generate cellular microenvironments capable of imitating the physiological conditions of the liver. Based on the analysis of international protocols, the team developed a chemical adhesion method that allowed cells to remain stable for long periods, a condition essential for evaluating the drug response. An accessible platform for biomedicine In addition to the technological breakthrough, the team developed a simple, reproducible, and scientifically validated protocol, which allows biomedicine laboratories, even without specialization in physics or biophysics, to cultivate functional cells on chips with quality comparable to international pharmaceutical companies. This prevents technological lag and opens new opportunities for innovation in Mexico. Institutional backing and international cooperation The project had the support of the Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation (SECIHTI), which granted a postdoctoral fellowship to Mitzi Pérez Calixto, as well as a Fulbright fellowship to Alyssa Shapiro, strengthening the international and strategic nature of the development. From one organ to many Based on this model, the UNAM group collaborates with the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases on the development of a lung-on-a-chip and with the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán on a kidney-on-a-chip, expanding the platform of artificial organs for advanced biomedical research. Fatty liver, the next objective One of the most relevant projects under development is the creation of a fatty liver-on-a-chip model, a condition that today affects 25 to 30 percent of the world's population and could reach 50 percent in the coming years. This model will allow testing drugs directly on simulated tissues, accelerating the design of treatments. This organ is central in the human body due to its role in controlling glucose levels, the metabolism of lipid hormones, the elimination of blood waste, and the production of bile, making it a critical platform for pharmacological evaluation. For this reason, the liver is considered the body's chemical laboratory, a condition that explains its importance as a model for biomedical research, the pharmaceutical industry, and clinical development. Scientific publication with international validation The results of this research were published in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials under the title "Enhanced PDMS Functionalization for Organ‐on‐a‐Chip Platforms Using Ozone and Sulfo‐SANPAH: A Simple Approach for Biomimetic Long‐Term Cell Cultures," which positioned the Mexican development within the high-impact international scientific literature. The study was led by Mitzi Pérez Calixto, with the participation of Cindy Peto Gutiérrez, Alyssa Shapiro, Lázaro Huerta, Mathieu Hautefeuille, Marina Macías Silva, and Daniel Pérez Calixto, under the coordination of researcher Genaro Vázquez Victorio, head of the Laboratory of Mechanobiology. Microfluidics and cellular environment simulation The liver-on-a-chip belongs to the category of "organ-on-a-chip," devices that allow recreating microvasculature, tissue barriers, and cellular organization, reproducing physiological processes under controlled conditions. For its manufacture, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was used, a polymer widely used for its ability to replicate microstructures, maintain laminar flows, and respond to mechanical stimuli, which favors prolonged cell culture. The challenge of keeping cells alive One of the main challenges was to achieve that the cells remained attached and functional for weeks. The Faculty of Sciences achieves a functional model that reproduces metabolism, toxicity, and therapeutic response.
UNAM Develops Latin America's First Functional Liver-on-a-Chip
UNAM has made a breakthrough in biomedicine by creating a microfluidic device that accurately replicates human liver functions. Developed using technology similar to that in smartphones, this achievement opens new avenues for drug testing and prevents Mexico's technological lag.
