Harvard doctor invents ‘vagina on a chip’ to replace animal testing for women’s health issues
Harvard scientists have developed the world's first 'vagina-on-a-chip,' a device that replicates the female reproductive tract using human cells. This innovation allows for more accurate studies of women's health issues without relying on animal testing, which has limitations due to biological differences. Dr. Zohreh Izadifar, a key developer, emphasizes the importance of this technology in understanding women's health and addressing long-overlooked conditions.
- ▪The 'vagina-on-a-chip' mimics the female reproductive tract and allows for the study of the vaginal microbiome.
- ▪Dr. Zohreh Izadifar received the £50,000 Lush Prize 2026 for her work on this groundbreaking device.
- ▪The chip is designed to replicate the vaginal wall and is seeded with human cells to create viable tissue for testing.
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Women's Health Harvard doctor invents ‘vagina on a chip’ to replace animal testing for women’s health issues By McKenzie Beard Published May 22, 2026, 10:41 a.m. ET See more of our coverage in your search results. Add The New York Post on Google Harvard scientists have been honored for creating the world’s first “vagina-on-a-chip,” a groundbreaking device that mimics the female reproductive tract using living human cells. The tiny lab-grown model allows researchers to better study the vaginal microbiome, including the effects of hormones, healthy bacteria, infections and possible treatments — all without experimenting on mice, which don’t have the same hormonal changes as humans.
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