3-D Device Simulates Female Reproductive System and Liver

Animal tests used by scientists in the early phases of drug discovery often fail to predict therapies’ effectiveness in humans. Scientists from Northwestern University, Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, and the University of Illinois at Chicago, recently developed a miniaturized 3-D device named EVATAR™ that simulates the female reproductive tract and liver. The device is composed of a top layer containing multiple components that support the cells of the organs forming the reproductive female system (ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, and vagina) and the liver. The two bottom layers hold miniaturized pumps and tubes (i.e., microfluidics) essential to mimic hormonal and liquid fluxes through the tissues. EVATAR™ will help test new drugs and gain insights into the basic biology of female reproduction.