Scientists Develop ‘Organ-on-a-Chip’ That Could Reduce the Need for Animal Testing

Scientists at the University of Rochester have developed a new "organ-on-a-chip" technology that could reduce the need for animal testing in drug and cosmetic development. The system uses human cells and ultrathin membranes to mimic human biology and predict dangerous reactions before drugs reach human trials. The technology was accepted into the FDA's ISTAND program, which evaluates new drug development tools. The goal is to predict toxicities like cytokine release syndrome and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome without relying on animal models that have failed to predict these reactions in humans.

• The system uses modular, mass-producible µSiM tissue chips.
• Sensors incorporated into the chips can monitor inflammatory signals in real time.
• Researchers hope to determine if human cell-based predictions are as accurate as animal models.
• The next steps include submitting a plan addressing clinical considerations, timelines, data-sharing procedures, and statistical methods for evaluating the technology.

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