‘I really believe in the TopoChip’

After working one year as a post doctoral researcher in Boston, Bernke Papenburg returned to the MIRA Institute last September to investigate ways to market the ‘TopoChip’ concept. ‘In the United States people possess the courage to strongly believe in surprising roads to success.’

In the best of both worlds, Bernke Papenburg, 29, finds herself at this very moment working as a project leader of Materiomics at MIRA. Her future is uncertain yet promising while working in conditions full of scientific challenges and her work strongly points towards discovering the technical feasibility and possibilities of near-future business development.

The post doctoral researcher collaborates on the project with Dr. Jan de Boer, associate professor of tissue regeneration. Also the ‘Topo Chip’ platform is being evaluated by a BusinessAccelerator for Technical Life Sciences to get the spin-off company to stand on its own feet and make it a success.

Papenburg worked on theconcept during her thesis project from 2005 - 2009, lying the basis for the bio-chip concept. It was patented at an early stage, as the potential of its promising features quickly became clear and convincing. ‘When I worked on designing various scaffolds, channels and structures on a micrometer level and observed the influence on cell-growth, it was amazing,’ Papenburg recalls. ‘The topology of the chip in all of its dimensions is decisive for cell growth. Every cell-type is reacting in a distinct manner.’

Designing and fabricating (bio-)chips with all kind of features resulted in the multi-compartmentalized TopoChip already reaching 4,400 compartments and structures, and measuring 2x2 cm2. High-throughput screening is used to analyze the effect of surface characteristics on the behavior of the cells. For example, in the search for the optimal surface for medical implants, the TopoChip concept exhibits breakthrough technology features. ‘Being able to work on all of these aspects, to bring this technology to the market, is very challenging. I couldn’t be happier,’ states Papenburg.

Although the medical market is rigorous and time to market is long, Papenburg is full of confidence. Recent experiences spent in a post-doctoral year at Tufts University in the Greater Boston area, Medford, strengthen her convictions even more. The city of Boston she refers to as ‘cozy and relaxed, almost a European-like atmosphere.’

At a conference some years ago, she met Professor David Kaplan, leader of a research group that worked on biomedical implants made of natural silk. This material degrades slowly, keeping its strength for a long time. The silkworm product has many applications in various medical fields – from stitches, bone recovery and artificial vessels to protecting material in surgery – for example, on the head of electrodes used for invasive procedures.

Papenburg: ‘The amount of experience and knowledge I built up in this year was incredible. I was able to work on fundamental research that was patented, and on applications in the initial stages, up to experiments in which tests on animals were performed.

‘Most of all, however, I learned to know the American’s courage to strongly believe in surprising roads to success, if you simply work on it and take as many aspects into account as possible. I’m now trying to find a balance. I believe Americans act on the fly, yet here in Holland the conservative nature of people allows for the planning of complex processes and is much more efficient. As a project leader, I’m trying to keep an overview, analyzing experimental data to make connections and to create designs.’

Egbert van Hattem

Bernke Papenburg: “Observing the influence of sheer topology on cell growth was amazing from time to time.”