Researchers at the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) have developed a new microfluidic technology that allows cells to grow in three dimensions (3D). This innovation aims to improve the accuracy of toxicity tests for new products by more closely simulating the conditions found in living organisms. The technology is expected to be a major advancement in drug development, material safety testing, and environmental toxicology research, while also reducing the need for animal testing. The device uses microfluidics, a technique that enables precise control of fluid flow on a very small scale. This allows for the maintenance of 3D cellular models that more closely resemble the structure and function of human tissues. In contrast to traditional cell cultures grown on flat surfaces, 3D models offer a more realistic representation of how drugs, nanomaterials, and environmental pollutants affect human cells. The platform is made from PDMS, a flexible, transparent, biocompatible, and cost-effective silicone material. It also supports the automated performance of multiple experiments, making it efficient and user-friendly. One of the key features of the technology is its reversible design, which allows researchers to open the device after testing to retrieve intact cellular models for further analysis. This is a significant advantage, as it enables a more detailed study of how substances interact with cells. The study, published in the journal ACS Measurement Science Au, highlights three major advancements. First, it introduces a standardized and user-friendly protocol that makes the technology accessible to researchers without prior experience in microfluidics. Second, the ability to recover 3D cell models after testing is a rare feature in microfluidic platforms. Third, the platform supports continuous-flow conditions, which more accurately mimic the natural flow of nutrients and molecules in the body. Iris Renata Sousa Ribeiro, a postdoctoral researcher and lead author of the study, emphasized the importance of the platform's simplicity and reproducibility. She noted that the ability to recover cell models after testing greatly expands the range of possible analyses. The research team is working to make the platform available as an open infrastructure for external researchers by early next year. They hope to see the technology used in various fields, including pharmacology, nanotechnology, materials science, biotechnology, and ecotoxicology. Their goal is to enable researchers across Brazil to develop more accurate toxicity tests that closely reflect real biological conditions.