Overview
The Indian Council of Medical Research's ICMR‑NIRWoH in partnership with IIT Bombay has created a lab‑grown placenta‑on‑chip system. The device reproduces hormone production, nutrient transfer, waste removal and selective barrier function of the human placenta, offering a practical tool for studying pregnancy‑related disorders.
Key Developments
- Engineered a microphysiological system that mimics the maternal‑fetal interface.
- Demonstrated production of pregnancy hormones and transport of glucose from mother to fetus.
- Showed removal of waste products such as urea and response to hyperglycaemic conditions resembling gestational diabetes.
- Designed the platform to work with standard laboratory equipment, avoiding complex micro‑fluidic setups.
- Validated the system through biological assays led by Anshul Bhide and engineering work by Prof. Abhijit Majumder.
Important Facts
The study, published in Biofabrication, highlights that the placenta is the first life‑support organ for the fetus, yet it is one of the least studied because direct investigation during pregnancy is difficult. The new chip bridges this gap by allowing real‑time observation of nutrient, hormone and waste exchange under controlled conditions.
Unlike many existing organ‑on‑chip models that need continuous perfusion, the Indian version is simple, scalable and compatible with conventional lab workflows, making it accessible to more research groups.
Exam Relevance
Understanding the placenta’s role is crucial for GS4 (Health) and GS3 (Science & Technology) topics such as maternal‑fetal health, reproductive biology, and biomedical innovation. The project exemplifies interdisciplinary collaboration—combining reproductive biology, micro‑engineering, and cell biology—an approach emphasized in the UPSC syllabus for science‑technology policy and ethics.
It also aligns with the Government’s push for human‑relevant models to replace animal experiments, a key ethical and regulatory concern.
Way Forward
- Adopt the platform in more Indian labs to study pregnancy complications such as pre‑eclampsia and fetal growth restriction.
- Use the chip for drug‑screening to assess safety of medicines during pregnancy, thereby informing regulatory guidelines.
- Encourage further interdisciplinary projects that blend engineering and biomedical science to accelerate health‑focused innovations.
- Leverage the technology to strengthen India’s position in global biomedical research and reduce dependence on foreign models.
By providing a practical, scalable tool, the placenta‑on‑chip platform can deepen our understanding of maternal‑fetal health, aid in the development of safer therapeutics, and support India’s broader goals of scientific self‑reliance.