Engineering Biophysical Microenvironments to Regulate In Vitro Organogenesis and Morphogenesis

Engineering biophysical microenvironments is essential for controlling organogenesis and morphogenesis in vitro. This talk will focus on nanofibrous membrane platforms designed to reproduce the permeability, mechanics, and geometry of native tissue microenvironments. The NaRE membrane combines high permeability, basement membrane-like stiffness, and nanofiber-enabled mechanical integrity, supporting physiologically relevant epi/endothelial barrier models with enhanced physical and metabolic functions. The primary focus will be UniMat, a 3D engineered, permeable nanofibrous microwell platform that enables uniform organoid formation while providing consistent access to nutrients and differentiation factors for maturation. Human iPSC-derived kidney organoids cultured on UniMat exhibit enhanced nephron maturation, more physiologically relevant cellular composition, and increased vascularization compared with conventional culture systems. Beyond its biological performance, UniMat provides a scalable and manufacturable framework for improving the reproducibility, standardization, and automation of organoid production. Its commercialization through Celloid, together with its integration into automated organoid culture systems, illustrates how an academic platform can be translated into practical infrastructure for organoid research, drug testing, and regenerative medicine. Finally, a tissue-scale epithelial bilayer model will be briefly introduced to demonstrate how tissue-relevant mechanics and ECM poroelasticity regulate epithelial wrinkling and folding. Together, these studies highlight how engineered microenvironments can advance both fundamental tissue biology and the industrial translation of organoid technologies.

Dong Sung Kim is a Mueunjae Chair Professor and Head of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), where he also holds a joint appointment in Medical Science and Engineering. He is a member of the Young Korean Academy of Science and Technology (Y-KAST) and the founder and CEO of Celloid Co. Ltd., which provides automated 3D cell culture solutions for scalable organoid manufacturing. His research focuses on micro- and nano-manufacturing, including advanced electrospinning and multi-scale precision forming and shaping of polymers and hydrogels. More recently, he has applied these technologies to biomedical engineering, developing nanofibrous membrane-based organ-on-a-chip systems, organoid culture and automation platforms, and biomimetic culture systems for investigating in vitro tissue morphogenesis.