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An Open-Source Normothermic Perfusion System Designed for Research Scientists
Published on: July 18, 2025
Perfused human organs versus Mary Shelley's Frankenstein
1Department of Family Medicine, Queen's University, 220 Bagot Street, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. leungl@queensu.ca
Journal of Translational Medicine
|January 27, 2009
Summary
The Ex Vivo Metrics system uses perfused human organs for pre-clinical drug testing, aiming to improve the translation of drug effects from lab research to human clinical trials. This approach seeks to reduce the high failure rate of drug candidates in development.
Area of Science:
- Translational medicine
- Pharmacology
- Organ-on-a-chip technology
Background:
- Pre-clinical drug testing faces high failure rates due to poor translation from in vitro to in vivo models.
- Current bench-to-bedside (N2B) translational medicine lacks sufficient human physiological relevance.
- There is a critical need for advanced pre-clinical models that better mimic human physiology.
Discussion:
- The Ex Vivo Metrics system offers a novel approach by utilizing perfused human organs for drug screening.
- This technology allows for the assessment of both drug efficacy and potential toxicity in a human-relevant context.
- Perfused human organs in a controlled environment represent a significant advancement in pre-clinical research.
Key Insights:
- Ex Vivo Metrics technology provides a more accurate prediction of drug responses compared to traditional methods.
- It addresses the limitations of current in vitro and animal models in predicting human outcomes.
- This system facilitates a more efficient and reliable drug development pipeline.
Outlook:
- Further development and validation of the Ex Vivo Metrics system are crucial for its widespread adoption.
- This technology has the potential to significantly reduce drug development costs and timelines.
- Perfused human organ models could revolutionize pre-clinical drug discovery and personalized medicine.

