Biointerfaces International Conference (BIC) 2022 - Conference Report

This year BIC offered a program with a special focus on microphysiological systems, de novo tissues and organoids hosting international audience and matching academic, clinical, and industry organizations.

Quick Facts

• Zürich, ETH, 12-15.09.2022
• 250 participants, including academic, SMEs, startups, clinical, international
• 34 + invited and contributed talks, pre-conference seminar for early career researchers, technology pitches by exhibitors
• 57 posters and 3 poster prizes
• Organized by the Competence Centre TEDD, Empa, ETH Zurich, University of Zurich, and Innovative Surfaces with partners Bio-Inspired Materials, Canton of Zurich, Life Science Zurich business network

Session Highlights

1. Pre-conference Seminar for Young Scientists

The pre-conference seminar provided participants with introductory presentations on key biointerface science and technology topics and application challenges including:

• A keynote by Prof. Thomas Hartung from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, US presenting Intro & Overview: 21st Century Cell Culture for 21st Century Research.
• Pro Con Debate: “In vitro assays will eventually replace all academic and industrial in vivo (animal) tests for drug development” by Ivan Martin, University of Basel, CH and David Grainger, The University of Utah, US.
• Lunch and More – Ask Anything, where young scientists could meet experienced researchers

2. TEDD Annual Meeting 2022

This TEDD Annual Meeting, the most important event of the Competence Centre TEDD, focused on microphysiological systems (MPS) and hosted network experts from diverse fields with a shared interest in advanced 3D models.

• First Keynote by Thomas Hartung from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, US presenting 21st Century Cell Culture for 21st Century Research
• Ivan Martin from University of Basel, CH presenting “Regenerative Engineering: Designing Grafts, Processes and Signals”
• Susan Gibbs from Amsterdam University Medical Center, NL presenting “Modeling Immune Mediated Skin Disease-on-Chip”
• Stephanie Boder-Pasche from CSEM, CH presenting “Standardized Tools for Organoid-on-Plate”
• Tina Bürki from Empa, CH presenting “Unraveling Mechanisms of Developmental Toxicity from Nanomaterials”
• Second Keynote by Stefan Platz from AstraZeneca, UK presenting “Advanced Cellular Models and their Future Applications”
• Chantal Pauli from University Hospital Zurich, CH presenting “Patient Derived Ex Vivo Modeling in a Hospital Setting”
• Jens Kelm from PreComb Therapeutics, CH presenting “Bringing Functional Precision Medicine to Clinical Practice”
• Tiziano Serra from AO Foundation, CH presenting “Controlling Morphogenesis by Sound”
• Catarina Brito from iBET & ITQB-NOVA, PT presenting “3D Culture Strategies to Address Cell Microenvironment Remodeling in Disease and Therapeutic Response”
• Rupert Ecker from TissueGnostics, AUS presenting “Contextual Tissue Cytometry Using Precision Microscopy with Artificial Intelligence”

3. Technology Pitches by Exhibitors

• Twelve innovative company from across industry presented technologies microphysiological systems (MPS), spheroids, organoids, organ-on-chip, microfluidic devices, bioprinting, and more.