Innovative Lung-on-a-Chip with Immune Function Mimics a Living Organ

Researchers at Georgia Tech and Vanderbilt University have developed a groundbreaking lung-on-a-chip that integrates a functional immune system, marking a significant advancement in biomedical engineering. This miniature model of the human lung, constructed on a flexible polymer chip, simulates the organ’s natural behavior, including expansion, blood circulation, and immune responses. Unlike previous models, this innovative platform enables scientists to observe immune cell movement and response within lung tissue, providing deeper insights into how the lungs combat infections and inflammatory diseases.

The development was led by Ankur Singh, director of Georgia Tech's Center for Immunoengineering, who described witnessing immune cells actively migrating through the chip as a transformative moment. Alongside Krishnendu Roy and colleagues, Singh’s team faced the challenge of maintaining viable immune cells within the chip, a hurdle they successfully overcame, resulting in a model where immune responses to pathogens like influenza could be closely studied.

This model not only responds accurately to infections but also offers a more human-relevant alternative to traditional animal testing, which often fails to fully replicate human lung responses. Singh emphasized the importance of this technology for understanding severe viral infections and developing effective treatments. The platform holds promise for studying other lung diseases such as asthma, cystic fibrosis, and lung cancer, and aims toward personalized medicine by creating patient-specific chips.

This innovation could revolutionize the way respiratory diseases are researched, allowing for better prediction of treatment efficacy and reducing reliance on animal models. It exemplifies a significant step toward more accurate, human-relevant preclinical testing and could ultimately lead to improved therapies and outcomes for millions suffering from lung ailments.