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Harvard Researchers Print World's First Heart-On-A-Chip (gizmodo.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the integrated-sensing dept.

Harvard University researchers have successfully 3D printed the first heart-on-a-chip with integrated sensors that are capable of measuring the beating of the heart. Gizmodo reports: The printed organ is made of synthetic material designed to mimic the structure and function of native tissue. It is not designed to replace failing human organs, but it can be used for scientific studies, something that is expected to rapidly increase research on new medicine. The medical breakthrough may also allow scientists to rapidly design organs-on-chips to match specific disease properties or even a patient's cells. Organs-on-chips, also known by the more technical name microphysiological systems, replicate the structure and function of living human organs. Each is made of a translucent, flexible polymer that lets scientists replicate biological environments of living organs. The chips are also clear so that the scientists can see an inner-working into how the organs work. A large part of the breakthrough was actually developing six different printable inks capable of integrating sensors within the tissue being printed. In one continuous printing process, the team 3D printed materials into a heart-on-a-chip with integrated sensors. The sensors were capable of measuring the beating of the heart. The new study has been published today in Nature Materials.

5 of 20 comments (clear)

  1. Inability to distinguish an X from a model X by Hognoxious · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The inability to distinguish an X from a model X seems to be a common trait among hiplennials.

    Remember this: https://build.slashdot.org/sto...

    Or this: https://tech.slashdot.org/stor...

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    1. Re:Inability to distinguish an X from a model X by Hognoxious · · Score: 2

      They are [in] charge, though.

      The square old daddies are so afraid of being seen as out of touch that they just let the millenitards run around doing whatever they want, which is why you get #DEDEDE text on a #F0F0F0 background[1] and icons that all look the same.

      [1] Of course the contrast is high enough, they don't have any letters in common!

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
  2. Novel? by backslashdot · · Score: 4, Informative

    This isn't exactly new. Heart tissue is easy to grow and already used for disease modeling. Call me when they make something that is structurally a heart. We've had heart tissue in hydrogels and various other materials since the 1980s and heart tissue on sheets for maybe 20 years for drug testing. The novelty here is that it's on chip and optimal for drug testing?

    http://circres.ahajournals.org... [ahajournals.org]

    1. Re:Novel? by sheramil · · Score: 2

      the novelty here is that it could be TCP/IP enabled, which means unless it's properly secured it could be used as part of a botnet. no, that's not tachycardia you're feeling, it's very large PINGs.

  3. Re:Heart on a chip -- by sittingnut · · Score: 2

    that measures the beating of a heart....??

    Huh..???

    your confusion is justified.
    it seems to be more an organic sensor than "heart on a chip".
    would help if editors here read the stuff before posting and get rid of irrelevant buzz words. that is what an editor supposed to do!