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RESEARCHERS at RMIT University have pioneered unique Lab-on-a-Chip technology which allows diagnosis and treatment of disorders within foetuses.
Associate Professor Donald Wlodkowic and his team at RMIT University in the School of Science developed special miniaturised laboratory devices commonly referred to as Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC), which medical researchers were able to utilise, resulting in the discovery that faulty bioelectric signalling is responsible for facial defects caused by a rare genetic disorder; Anderson-Tawil Syndrome (ATS).
The Australian team collaborated with researchers at the Tufts University Department of Biology, School of Arts and Sciences, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. They were able to alter normal bioelectric signalling during the development of transgenic embryo models, successfully demonstrating the cause of the craniofacial abnormalities associated with ATS and Fetal-Alcohol Syndrome.
This breakthrough could lead to preventative measures and treatments for a range of disorders, from birth defects to cancers.
In experiments, the Labs-on-a-Chip allowed tadpoles to develop, while scientists manipulated and monitored the cells. The technology also provided time-resolved microscoping imaging to demonstrate abnormalities in the skull and face.
The use of transgenic fish and frog embryo models, allows scientists to mimic molecular foundations of human diseases in the developing embryos. Falling between cell-based in-vitro assays that have low physiological relevant, and tests on rodents and other mammals, the technique delivers improved accuracy.
The chip-based labs are fabricated using a state of the art laser micro milling system and the use of inexpensive polymers allows the devices to be biocompatible and inexpensive.
The team at RMIT University is a leader in innovative Lab-on-a-Chip technologies, having collaborated with many leading biomedical and toxicology laboratories across the globe. The scientists have pioneered several innovative Lab-on-a-Chip technologies for small model organism research which are suitable for many pioneering applications in drug discovery, predictive toxicology and even environmental monitoring such as water quality testing.