Embedding Hydrogels into Microfluidic Chips: Vascular Transport Analyses and Drug Delivery Optimization

Current two-dimensional in vitro culture conditions do not accurately replicate the hierarchical complexity of the in vivo tissue microenvironment. Microfluidic chips have emerged as alternative tools that address interdisciplinary aspects of tissue/organ and disease modeling and aid the investigation of nanomedicine delivery and efficacy. In this chapter, we discuss the design considerations for hydrogel-embedded microfluidic chips developed in our laboratory. We also describe different nanoconstructs and nanomedicines, which have been analyzed using hydrogel-embedded microfluidic chips. Finally, we highlight computational methods used to study particles under flow conditions and briefly mention the potential applications of the approaches that bring together all these aspects of biomedical engineering to advance drug development and nanomedicine toward the clinical setting.