A 3D-Printed Device Simulates Drug Impact on Human Bodies, Potentially Eliminating Animal Testing

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have created a groundbreaking 3D-printed device that simulates the impact of medications on the human body, potentially eliminating the need for animal testing. As reported by The Guardian, this “body-on-chip” device accurately demonstrates how a drug travels through a patient’s body, allowing for the assessment of drug reactions in different organs without relying on live animal experiments.

Historically, thousands of animals are used annually in the early phases of medical research worldwide, but many drugs tested on animals fail to show clinical benefits in humans. This new technology could revolutionize this aspect of medical research.

The device is composed of five sections representing the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, and brain. These components are interconnected by channels akin to the human circulatory system, enabling the flow of medications for testing purposes.

Using positron emission tomography (PET) scanning, the chip generates detailed 3D images of the internal workings of these organ replicas. PET scans, which utilize a safe radioactive tracer, are typically employed in medical imaging to detect diseases in organs and tissues.

Liam Carr, the creator of the body-on-chip, emphasized the precision of PET imagery in ensuring consistent drug flow through the device. Carr highlighted that this is the first device specifically designed for analyzing drug distribution, combining an even flow with organ compartments large enough for drug uptake analysis and mathematical modeling.

Carr believes this chip could be instrumental in studying various human diseases, including cancer and cardiovascular conditions. His supervisor, Dr. Adriana Tavares, noted the significance of integrating five organs on a single device, as it enables comprehensive studies on how a new medication might affect the entire body of a patient.

Dr. Tavares also pointed out the device’s potential to significantly reduce the reliance on animal testing in drug development, especially in early stages where only a small fraction of compounds successfully progress. This innovation represents a substantial advancement in both medical research methodologies and ethical considerations in drug testing.