(Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia – IIT) Researchers at IIT-Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia fabricated an artificial device reproducing a 1:1 scale model of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), the anatomical and functional structure that protects the central nervous system from external substances, such as contaminants, but also drugs when they are injected intravenously into the body. The device will be fundamental for studying new therapeutic strategies to overcome blood-brain barrier and treat brain diseases. The work was supported by the ERC.