About this Research Topic
Obstructive lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis, and cystic fibrosis (CF) collectively impact a large percentage of the population and are a leading cause of hospitalization and death globally. Restrictive lung disorders, defined as a heterogeneous group of progressive pathologies that encompasses sarcoidosis and interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), are less frequent; yet they often present with substantial morbidity and poor survival. Currently, limited therapies are available for human obstructive and restrictive pulmonary disorders, and few new classes of therapeutic modalities have emerged over the past 2-3 decades. In fact, in most cases, we lack clinically proven curing agents or pharmacotherapies that can halt or reverse disease progression.
The slow pace of drug development for lung conditions has been primarily attributed to the complexities of human lungs and the poor clinical predictability of widely used two-dimensional (2D) cell culture models and laboratory animals. However, recent advances in our understanding of cellular, molecular, and mechanical cues on biology, functioning, and differentiation of human lung cells, as well as the emergence of new tissue microengineering technologies such as microphysiological systems (MPS), including Organs-on-Chips and 3D-bioprinted tissues, and stem cell-derived organoids have provided a unique opportunity to accelerate preclinical drug development efforts.
Our goal here is to deliver a collection of state-of-the-art Organs-on-Chips, 3D-bioprinting, and organoid technologies that can be utilized for modeling obstructive and restrictive pulmonary disorders in vitro and enable clinically relevant translational studies. We hope this collection will provide the scientific, biopharmaceutical, and clinical community with a snapshot of various research efforts in this rapidly evolving field with the potential to lower drug attrition via the use of more complex, multi-cellular, dynamic, and human-relevant preclinical research tools.
The slow pace of drug development for lung conditions has been primarily attributed to the complexities of human lungs and the poor clinical predictability of widely used two-dimensional (2D) cell culture models and laboratory animals. However, recent advances in our understanding of cellular, molecular, and mechanical cues on biology, functioning, and differentiation of human lung cells, as well as the emergence of new tissue microengineering technologies such as microphysiological systems (MPS), including Organs-on-Chips and 3D-bioprinted tissues, and stem cell-derived organoids have provided a unique opportunity to accelerate preclinical drug development efforts.
Our goal here is to deliver a collection of state-of-the-art Organs-on-Chips, 3D-bioprinting, and organoid technologies that can be utilized for modeling obstructive and restrictive pulmonary disorders in vitro and enable clinically relevant translational studies. We hope this collection will provide the scientific, biopharmaceutical, and clinical community with a snapshot of various research efforts in this rapidly evolving field with the potential to lower drug attrition via the use of more complex, multi-cellular, dynamic, and human-relevant preclinical research tools.
Keywords: Microphysiological Systems, Organoids, 3D-bioprinting, Obstructive Lung Diseases, Restrictive Lung Diseases, Organs-on-Chips
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
