Researchers at the Wyss Institute, which is affiliated with the renowned American university Harvard, have created what they call a “vagina on a chip”. This will help them research the microbiomes in the vagina, says a press release from the institute. In recent years, research into bacterial cultures and microbiomes in various places in the body has accelerated. The research has pointed to the fact that a bacterial imbalance can lead to, for example, irritable bowel – but the bacterial cultures of the vagina have been forgotten, believe the researchers at the Wyss Institute. Researcher: Has progressed a notch The goal of “organs on a chip” is to create mini organ systems that represent the physiology of a human being, according to senior researcher at Oslo University Hospital and the University of Oslo, Hanne Scholz. – They have made a vagina that represents how it would look in a human, thus they have come a step further, and you can say that you trust this model, she says to news. The chip has human cells that recreate the environment in the vaginal canal. By putting bacteria on the vagina chip, researchers can study how the bacteria affect the health of the vagina, writes Live Science. A lot of research is taking place in this field, for example on cancer tumours, liver and pancreas on a chip, says Scholz. – There is a whole range of organ systems being developed on a chip. They can help us understand diseases and help develop and investigate the effects of medicines. Development of new cures With the chip, it will be easier to find a cure for vaginal catarrh. The condition is difficult to investigate because the bacterial flora in the vagina in humans is completely different from animals. The researchers themselves call the chip a breakthrough for women’s health. – There is greater and greater agreement that women’s health is important for the health of all people, but few tools have been created to research women’s physiology, says senior researcher Don Ingber in the press release, and adds: – We hope this preclinical model will drive forward the development of new cures for vaginal catarrh in addition to new insights into women’s reproductive health. According to Helse-Norge, vaginal catarrh during pregnancy can increase the risk of miscarriage, premature birth, low birth weight of the baby and infection in the uterine cavity during and after pregnancy. The condition is caused by an imbalance in the bacterial flora in the vagina, and is basically harmless if you are not pregnant. Lung chip twelve years ago The researchers at the Wyss Institute have previously invented “organs on a chip” to make medical research easier by avoiding testing on animals. “Lung on a chip” was created in 2010, and bone marrow, kidneys and intestines followed. The chips are used to test treatments for the coronavirus, influenza, malnutrition and cystic fibrosis. Among other things, they have been used by the pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson, as well as by the US authorities who tested corona vaccines on them, according to the institute.
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“Vagina on a chip” makes it easier to research women’s health – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
