AUGMENT
The AUGMENT project aims to design and validate a next-generation gut-on-chip (GoC) platform that incorporates key features of the intestinal microenvironment, including stromal and immune components, to investigate host-pathogen interactions with enhanced physiological relevance. Particular attention is paid to γδ T cells, non-HLA adaptive immune cells that are abundant in the gut and occupy a unique position at the interface between innate and adaptive immunity. The platform will enable the in-depth analysis of human cellular responses to Candida albicans and Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections.
Coordinator
Research Director
CNRS
Institutions and establishments involved
Work Packages
CNRS / Inserm / Université de Bordeaux / ImmunoConcEpT / MFP / LOF / LP2N; CHU de Bordeaux / CRBS plurithématique; Institut d’Optique Graduate School (IOGS)
The scientific objectives are addressed through four work packages:
● WP0: Development of the chip architecture and live-imaging integration.
● WP1: Establishment of an immune- and stroma-enhanced GoC with γδ T cells and
fibroblasts.
● WP2: Modeling infections with C. albicans and CMV, characterizing epithelial and
immune responses.
● WP3: Integration and analysis of matched primary epithelial, stromal, and immune cells.
Programme de recherche
Conventional GoC models rely on oversimplified epithelial monolayers and ignore, in most cases, immune and stromal cells, limiting their translational relevance. AUGMENT overcomes these limitations by integrating:
- A planar chip geometry optimized for live-cell imaging and designed to incorporate photopatterned hydrogels that mimic ECM properties, enabling spatial segregation and mechanical support for cells;
- Stromal and immune cells, including fibroblasts and γδ T cells, introduced in 3D hydrogel scaffolds and perfused through microchannels to mimic an immune – and stromal – competent lamina propria;
- Advanced imaging technologies, including full-field optical coherence tomography (FF-OCT) and an incubator-based microscope (Incubascope), to enable real-time, label-free visualization of cell dynamics, infection progression, and immune responses;
- A transition to primary human cells through a donor biobank developed in collaboration with the Bordeaux University Hospital, allowing comparison between responses of primary cells and cell lines via multiplex imaging and single-cell RNA sequencing.
Expected outcomes
Expected outcomes include the creation of a modular GoC platform that can simulate
physiologically relevant infection scenarios, support mechanistic studies of epithelial repair and
immune surveillance, and act as a foundation for patient-specific models. By recapitulating the γδ
T cell interactions with pathogens and tissue, AUGMENT will provide novel insights into immune
regulation in the gut, potentially revealing new therapeutic targets
Le consortium
The project is led by a multidisciplinary consortium combining expertise in immunology,
microbiology, intestinal cell biology, biophotonics, and microfluidics. It aligns with the PEPR MED-OOC objectives under France 2030, supporting the emergence of biologically relevant OoC models for translational research. AUGMENT is expected to contribute to the national OoC ecosystem by fostering platform interoperability, sharing tools and protocols, and establishing strong links with
industrial stakeholders.
Plus de projets
