Scientists develop realistic ‘micro-gut’ model to study the relationship between gut microbes and human diseases

In a breakthrough for the advanced study of gut health, scientists have developed a 3D microscopic version of the human intestines condensed into a small chip about half the size of a five-cent coin. This new cell culturing platform, known as the Gut-Microbiome on a chip (GMoC), provides a realistic in vitro microgut model that allows researchers to examine the interactions of gut microbes and their collective impact on gut health. The chip offers a scalable, reproducible, and efficient method to dissect the roles of gut microbes and their community, which is of key interest for the preventive healthcare and pharmaceuticals industry.