Programming Cells With Computer-Like Logic
Synthetic biologists are converting microbial cells into living devices that are able to perform useful tasks ranging from the production of drugs, fine chemicals and biofuels to detecting disease-causing agents and releasing therapeutic molecules inside the body. To accomplish this, they fit cells with artificial molecular machinery that can sense stimuli such as toxins in…
3D-Printed Heart-On-a-Chip with Integrated Sensors
Harvard University researchers have made the first entirely 3D-printed organ-on-a-chip with integrated sensing. Built by a fully automated, digital manufacturing procedure, the 3D-printed heart-on-a-chip can be quickly fabricated and customized, allowing researchers to easily collect reliable data for short-term and long-term studies. This new approach to manufacturing may one day allow researchers to rapidly design…