University of Maryland researchers, in collaboration with the University of Delaware and the University of Virginia, engineered the first immune-capable “cervix-on-a-chip” model to study sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The microphysiological system recreates key aspects of the human cervix environment while incorporating immune components. The platform aims to support STI research where traditional cell culture can miss tissue-level immune dynamics, including barriers, cell–cell signaling, and localized immune activation. For translational teams, such models can improve preclinical confidence for vaccine candidates, microbicide approaches, and therapeutics. This is an important step for organs-on-chips moving from epithelial-only setups to immune-integrated systems, bringing more physiological relevance to early efficacy and safety evaluations.