In the study, Dr. Rosemarie Marchan, Head of the Cellular Toxicology Group at Leibniz-Institute for Working Environment and Human Factors at Technical University Dortmund, IfADo Institute Leader Prof. Dr. Jan Hengstler, worked together with the Swiss company InSphero and scientists from the KU Leuven in Belgium and the South Valley University in Egypt. The IfADo team equipped a microchip (size like a mobile phone) with liver cells from rat and tumor cells from an intestine to test the effect of a drug. Aim was to check the suitability of the organ chip. The substance was initially introduced into the chamber with the liver cells, where it has been activated.
The metabolized substance was then passed on to the intestinal cell chamber. The scientists are able to influence the flow of the substance with the help of a computer.

The company InSphero, headed by Dr. Oliver Frey, was honored for their connection of three-dimensional tissue from human's liver, heart, pancreas and tumor tissue on their microchip via smallest microfluid channels thus forming a so-called "body-on-a-chip".

The award ceremony took place yesterday in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Sources:
http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/insphero-scientist-receives-3rs-award-for-microtissue-based-body-on-a-chip-system-2172454.htm
http://www.ifado.de/blog/2016/11/02/excellent-the-chip-als-alternative-zum-tierversuch/