Researchers have developed a human cell ‘membrane on a chip’ that allows continuous monitoring of how drugs and infectious agents interact with cells, which may soon be used to test potential drug candidates for Covid-19.
The devices, which were developed by researchers from the University of Cambridge, Cornell University and Stanford University, have been formed on electronic chips while preserving the orientation and functionality of a cell membrane. The chips measure changes in an overlying membrane extracted from a cell, allowing scientists to understand how it interacts with the outside world.