The object
Kim Lewis co-developed the iChip, a multi-chamber device that isolates individual bacteria and incubates them back in their natural environment rather than a Petri dish. It enabled cultivation of previously inaccessible microbes, including sources of promising antibiotic candidates such as teixobactin.
01
What Kim did
Co-developed the iChip device that separates and incubates individual bacteria in their natural environment.
02
Why it matters
The iChip gives drug-discovery laboratories physical access to microbial diversity that conventional culture methods miss.
03
Living-status check
Northeastern University's current 2026 profile lists Lewis as University Distinguished Professor and describes ongoing work on uncultured bacteria and antibiotic discovery.