FDA Researchers to Evaluate ‘Organs-on-Chips’ Technology

Constituent Update

April 11, 2017

FDA has a leading role in advancing revolutionary new testing technology that creates human organ systems in miniature on micro-engineered chips about the size of a AA battery.

On April 11, 2017, FDA announced a multi-year research and development agreement with a company called Emulate Inc. to test the company’s “Organs-on-Chips” technology in laboratories at the agency’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.

Beginning with a liver-chip, FDA scientists will be evaluating the effectiveness of the technology, designed to give researchers a better understanding of the effects of medicines, disease-causing bacteria in foods, chemicals, and other potentially harmful materials on the human body.

For More Information

• FDA Voice: ‘Organ-Chip’ Technology: FDA Testing Ground-Breaking Science
• Infographic: Organs-On-Chips Technology (PDF: 389KB)