以色列科學家用顯微鏡工作台研發了一個微型實驗室，用來即時測量水質。這個實驗室晶片（lab-on-a-chip）可以偵測污染物及病原體（pathogens），而美國五角大廈（the Pentagon）希望這個晶片還可以偵測由美國水源入侵的生物性武器。
這個新的實驗室晶片由美國國防部計畫局（U.S. Department of Defense Projects Agency）資助300萬美元，並有可能成為保護美國免於生物性戰事的一種防衛性武器。
身為特拉維夫大學（Tel Aviv University）機械學系副系主任的研究團隊召集人夏芡戴孟德（Yosi Shacham-Diamand）教授表示，這個微型實驗室將生物學與奈米技術性能結合在一起。他指出：「我們運用基因工程細菌發展了基本上為邊長1/4英吋（相當於0.635公分）微細尺寸的實驗室作業平台，這些細菌會在接觸到水中逆境來源時發光，晶片上的配備可以偵測到細菌所發出非常低的光度。基本上，我們的晶片是實驗室晶片系統一項創新的發展，它是一種非常精巧的奈米規格作業平台，用來取得生物事件中的訊息。我們用這個解決工具來進行水的監測可以達到前所未有的正確度。這種作業平台的用途還可以是沒有極限的，例如可用來研究幹細胞療法或治療癌症。」
夏芡戴孟德最近在世界癌症會議（World Cancer Conference）召集了400位醫師，這些醫師正在探尋測量及監測癌症及藥物的新工具。他表示：「他們需要類似特拉維夫大學實驗室晶片這樣的感應器，這個研究現在是熱門議題了。」
特拉維夫大學與其他以色列科學家建立伙伴關係，正製造與商業化這種水質測定迷你實驗室，來測量與監測基因工程細菌遇到像是水中大腸桿菌等污染時如何反應。以色列的許多城市都對這項技術很感興趣，而美國的夏威夷州也一樣感興趣，因為她長期以來的旅遊事業就是仰賴乾淨的海岸水域。
夏芡戴孟德指出，他的實驗室晶片將會用在動物試驗中的毒素篩除。他表示：「我們的系統是以一種塑膠晶片做為基底，這種晶片更人性化、更迅速、更敏銳並且更便宜。」
第一個實驗室晶片分析系統是一個氣相色譜儀（chromatograph），在1975年由史丹佛大學（Stanford University）的泰瑞（S.C. Terry）發展出來，並且就在過去1-2年間，這方面的研究及商業化行動才開始積極發展，將晶片用在偵測土壤、空氣、食物及水源中的污染物。
在西班牙，IK4研究技術聯盟（IK4 Research Technology Alliance）成員，巴斯克技術中心（Basque technology centers）的蓋克（Gaiker）及伊克蘭（Ikerlan）中心已經獲得一個具有成本效益的微型設施專利，這個設施可以診斷細菌感染，包括可以在1小時之內檢測出沙門氏菌（salmonella）的種類。在注射2劑此種實驗室晶片之後，這種晶片開始發揮樣本濃縮、菌膜破裂、DNA量放大、進行鑑定菌種的功能。
在美國，研究人體健康、農業及環境的科學家們有了新的實驗室晶片來協助他們進行沈積物及土壤生物性復育（bioremediation）工作。
Israeli scientists have developed a tiny laboratory, complete with a microscopic workbench, to measure water quality in real time. This lab-on-a-chip can detect pollutants and pathogens, and the Pentagon hopes it may detect the intrusion of a biological weapon into a U.S. water supply.
Funded by a $3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense Projects Agency, this new lab-on-a-chip could become a defensive weapon that protects America from biological warfare.
Team leader Professor Yosi Shacham-Diamand, vice-dean of Tel Aviv University's Faculty of Engineering, says the tiny lab pairs biology with the capabilities of nanotechnology.
"We've developed a platform - essentially a micro-sized, quarter-inch square lab - employing genetically engineered bacteria that light up when presented with a stressor in water," says Shacham-Diamand. Equipment on the chip can detect the very low light levels produced by the bacteria.
"Basically, ours is an innovative advance in the lab-on-a-chip system," says Shacham-Diamand. "It's an ingenious nano-scale platform designed to get information out of biological events. Our solution can monitor water with never-before-achieved levels of accuracy. But as a platform, it can also be used for unlimited purposes, such as investigating stem cell therapies or treating cancer."
Shacham-Diamand recently addressed 400 physicians at a World Cancer Conference who are seeking new devices to measure and monitor cancer and pharmaceuticals. "They need sensors like Tel Aviv University's lab-on-a-chip. It's a hot topic now," he said.
Partnering with other Israeli scientists, Tel Aviv University is building and commercializing its water-testing mini-labs to measure and monitor how genetically engineered bacteria respond to pollution such as E. coli in water. Cities across Israel have expressed interest in the technology, as has the state of Hawaii, with its mainstay tourist industry dependent on clean beach water.
Shacham-Diamand says his lab-on-a-chip will make the use of animal testing for toxins obsolete. "Our system is based on a plastic chip that is more humane, much faster, more sensitive and much cheaper," he said.
The first lab-on-a-chip analysis system was a gas chromatograph, developed in 1975 by S.C. Terry of Stanford University, and just in the past year or two, research and commercialization in this field has exploded, with labs on chips being used to detect pollutants in soils, air, and food as well as water.
In Spain, IK4 Research Technology Alliance members, the Basque technology centers Gaiker and Ikerlan, have patented a cost-effective micro device that can diagnose bacterial infections, including salmonella species, in less than an hour.
After the application of two syringes, this lab-on-a-chip carries out functions such as sample concentration, membrane rupture and DNA amplification, and then identifies the bacteria.
In the United States, scientists studying human health, agriculture and the environment have a new lab-on-a-chip to help them with bioremediation of sediments and soils.
