Integrative modelling of pain-associated immune and hormonal disorders in endometriosis on an original relevant 3D model of organ-on-chip – EndoCHIP

Endometriosis is a chronic and oestrogen-dependent gynaecological disease histologically characterized by the presence of endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus, which forms the lesions. This condition affects 1.5 million women in France, with an estimated socio-economic burden of €10 billion per year. Pain, one of the major symptoms experienced by 70% of patients, contributes to the lower quality of life of these women. In advanced stages, central and peripheral pain sensitization limits the analgesic benefits of hormonal therapies and surgery, which are the current gold standard treatments for endometriosis.
The pain pathophysiological mechanisms in endometriosis are complex and under-studied, due to the lack of a relevant model. The hypothesis of a hormono-inflammatory origin is emerging, but has not yet been fully characterised from a molecular point of view.
EndoCHIP is a transdisciplinary project at the interface between biology and biophysics, with the aim to develop a relevant and innovative experimental model for the study of pain mechanisms associated to endometriosis. Using cutting-edge tissue bioengineering technologies (cell assembly by bio-ink and bio-acoustic levitation), the aim of this project is to study the synergies between local inflammation of the peritoneum and hormonal imbalances specific to the endometriosis lesion in order to identify new therapeutic targets.