Harvard's microchip, lined with living cells, mimics disease in preclinical drug test

Harvard University scientists have proven that their microchip lined with living cells that mimics many aspects of a human lung can successfully mimic disease during testing of new treatments. As Reuters reports, the idea is that the technology can eventually reduce the need for animal studies and help make drug testing a more precise endeavor. Now, a research team from Harvard's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering has used the tech to re-create pulmonary edema. They then treated the simulated condition with an experimental GlaxoSmithKline ($GSK) drug. The device is about as big as a memory stick and built with a flexible polymer, according to the story. Item