Oxygen Sensor Improves Organ-on-a-Chip Devices

Aug-26-18 A biosensor able to track oxygen levels in organ-on-a-chip systems could improve the devices’ ability to detect drug toxicity.

Organ-on-a-chip structures, which are designed to mimic natural organs, are very useful for testing medications, but still limited in the types of data they can collect.

To increase the effectiveness of the devices, a team from North Carolina State University created a biosensor that can monitor both the organ-on-a-chip’s and the ambient oxygen levels in real-time. The oxygen sensor relies on a phosphorescent gel that could be spread on the organ-on-a-chip. The gel emits infrared light after it is exposed to infrared light, what the team terms an “echoing flash.” The shorter the time lag, the more oxygen is in the environment—allowing researchers to monitor the concentration in real-time.

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