TISSUSE GMBH

Their core work

TissUse is a Berlin-based biotech SME specializing in multi-organ-chip and microphysiological systems — miniaturized platforms that replicate human organ functions on a chip for drug testing and toxicity assessment. They develop human-on-chip technology that enables researchers to test compounds on interconnected human tissue models rather than animal models. Their work spans from organ-on-chip engineering and bioprinting to advanced therapy development (regulatory T cells, immunomodulation), positioning them at the intersection of in vitro model innovation and regulatory-grade risk assessment.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

TissUse's early H2020 work (2016–2019) centered on systems toxicology and computational risk assessment — contributing organ-chip platforms to large toxicity testing programs like EU-ToxRisk, while also entering immunotherapy through RESHAPE's human-on-the-chip models. From 2021 onward, the focus shifted decisively toward bioprinting, organoid engineering, and next-generation in vitro models (BIRDIE), while maintaining continuity in risk assessment through RISK-HUNT3R. The trajectory shows a company moving from providing chip platforms for others' toxicology studies toward building increasingly sophisticated, bioprinted tissue models as standalone products.

TissUse is evolving from a chip-platform provider toward bioprinted, organ-specific tissue models — expect future work combining 3D bioprinting with multi-organ systems for personalized medicine and regulatory testing.

How they like to work

TissUse operates exclusively as a specialist partner, never as coordinator — consistent across all five projects. They join large, well-funded research consortia (74 unique partners across 16 countries), contributing their proprietary organ-chip technology as a key enabling platform. This pattern suggests they are a sought-after technology provider whose chip systems are integrated into broader programs rather than a company that builds its own consortia.

TissUse has built a remarkably broad network for an SME: 74 unique consortium partners across 16 countries, indicating they are well-connected across European toxicology, pharma, and bioengineering communities. Their partnerships span academic institutions, regulatory bodies, and pharmaceutical companies involved in alternative testing methods.

What sets them apart

TissUse occupies a rare niche as one of few European SMEs that both develops and manufactures multi-organ-chip platforms — hardware that physically connects miniaturized human tissues for compound testing. While many academic groups publish on organ-on-chip concepts, TissUse brings a commercial, scalable platform that can be embedded into regulatory toxicology and drug development pipelines. Their combination of bioprinting capability with established organ-chip technology makes them a bridge between academic tissue engineering and industrial drug testing needs.

Highlights from their portfolio

• RESHAPE
  Largest single grant (€944K) — applies their human-on-chip technology to immunotherapy, showing the platform's versatility beyond toxicology.
• BIRDIE
  Marks their pivot to bioprinting: combines 3D bioprinting with organ-on-chip to create humanized kidney models, a technically ambitious convergence.
• EU-ToxRisk
  Major European flagship program for mechanism-based toxicity testing — established TissUse as a key platform provider in the regulatory toxicology ecosystem.