Airway-on-a-Chip May Lead to New Asthma Therapies

Scientists have recently developed a model of the human airway on a chip, according to a new study in Lab on a Chip. Using human airway muscle cells, researchers were able to develop a model that can either function normally or be induced to exhibit cellular responses common in asthma. The authors indicated that only two new asthma medications have been developed in the last 30 years, largely due to limitations of animal models. This new human-based model may allow researchers to develop new, more effective asthma treatments.