MIT (The Massachusetts Institute of Technology) has developed a "physiome on a chip" device that could halve the time taken to bring a new drug to market and eliminate animal testing entirely. The device, developed with a five-year, multimillion-dollar grant from the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, contains pre-grown, 3D tissue structures from up to 12 human organs, with pumps simulating blood flow. Drugs are then added to the device, enabling scientists to evaluate their effect on various parts of the body. The technology could be used to rapidly develop and release vaccines for pandemics.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has developed a "physiome on a chip" device that could halve the time taken to bring a new drug to market and eliminate animal testing entirely. The device, developed with a five-year, multimillion-dollar grant from the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, contains pre-grown, 3D tissue structures from up to 12 human organs, with pumps simulating blood flow. Drugs are then added to the device, enabling scientists to evaluate their effect on various parts of the body. The technology could be used to rapidly develop and release vaccines for pandemics.