Israeli 'Bionic Organs-on-a-Chip' to End Animal Testing

A collaboration of scientists from Hebrew University in Jerusalem and a German research institute will soon put an end to cruel experiments on animals.

In addition to the horrific nature of animal testing, its results are often inconclusive with respect to how any of these experiments would impact humans. As a result, a need to find an alternative was necessitated.

Hebrew University recently announced that its joint venture with the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology in Germany has yielded results and the two are seeking a patent together.

The device in question is a "liver on a chip" which mimics human physiology, both obviating the need for animal experimentation and circumventing the limitations of testing on human cells that can only survive a short time outside the body. In essence, what has been accomplished is the building of an organ on a chip.

To illustrate the benefits of this advance, it was already used to discover the dangers of acetaminophen on the human body is much greater and takes effect in much smaller doses than was previously believed based on animal model studies.

Read more about it here.

Off to hug my own animals and throw out my Tylenol, Shana Tova, everyone, till next time!

J