“Avatar,” a microfluidic organ-on-a-chip developed by the Wyss Institute (Harvard University), provides insights into health risks faced by astronauts (the effects of radiation and microgravity)

About this episode

The episode discusses breakthroughs in health technology, focusing on a microfluidic organ-on-a-chip developed by the Wyss Institute and a new Alzheimer’s treatment using viral vectors.

These sources highlight two major breakthroughs in health technology involving organ-on-a-chip systems and genetic engineering . The Harvard Wyss Institute has developed AVATAR , a microfluidic device using an astronaut's own cells to study the harmful effects of deep-space radiation and microgravity. This technology allows researchers to isolate specific physiological stressors without the confounding variables of a living subject's lifestyle. Simultaneously, a new Alzheimer’s treatment uses viral vectors to reprogram brain cells called astrocytes into efficient "cleaners" of toxic proteins. By equipping these cells with chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) , scientists have successfully cleared amyloid waste through a single injection. Together, these advancements represent a shift toward personalized, self-contained medical solutions for complex biological challenges.

People in this episode

Host: Kazutaka Yoshinaga

Topics covered

• health technology
• organ-on-a-chip
• genetic engineering
• radiation effects
• microgravity
• personalized medicine

Keywords

• microfluidic
• organ-on-a-chip
• radiation
• microgravity
• Alzheimer’s
• genetic engineering
• personalized medicine

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Wyss Institute, Harvard University

Products: AVATAR

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