A novel approach to bioprinting may lead to new ways to treat skin burns and severe wounds. With this, the researchers aim to create new skin that does not become scar tissue but a functioning dermis.
Microrobots formed in droplets could enable precision-targeted drug delivery, improving on IV drug delivery that sends only 0.7% of the drug to the target tissue, according to a recent study.
How cancer cells survive the journey through the body to form metastases is still poorly understood. New insights into how cells survive intense physical stress could pave the way for new treatments.
Melanoma testing could one day be done at home with a skin patch and test strip with two lines, similar to Covid-19 home tests, according to University of Michigan researchers.
A new, bacteria-based contrast agent illuminates tumors like a neon sign during surgery, enabling more precise resection and reducing the risk of recurrence.
By identifying the unique biological signatures that guide AI tissue classification, new research lays the foundation for smart surgical tools with the added feature of biomolecular-level precision.
Korean researchers have developed a wireless implantable drug delivery system that enable chemotherapy drugs to penetrate deep into solid tumors—without harming surrounding healthy tissue.
An implantable device could save diabetes patients from life-threatening hypoglycemia. Remaining under the skin, it can be triggered to release glucagon when blood sugar levels get too low.
A potentially transformative advancement in surgical robotics: A robot trained on videos of surgeries successfully performed a lengthy phase of a gallbladder removal without human help.
A new technique called photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) offers a breast imaging alternative without the discomfort, high costs, or risk associated with the conventional evaluation methods.
Muscle tissue undergoes specific changes in space due to the absence of gravity. Investigating these changes opens opportunities for studying sarcopenia, which takes decades to develop on earth.
Using a keyhole surgery approach, surgeons have found a new way to access previously difficult-to-reach brain regions with faster recovery times. With the help of 3D modelling technology, the neurosurgeons succeeded in removing complex tumours from the cavernous sinus through the eye socket, avoiding complex brain surgery and enabling their patients to make a quicker recovery.
Researchers evaluated the clinical value of using ChatGPT to interpret seizure semiology in order to predict which brain areas to remove to achieve seizure freedom in epilepsy patients.
Researchers used state-of-the-art 3D bioprinting to replicate the complex structure and environment of spinal discs. Their insights hold promise for understanding back pain and disc degeneration.
A team of scientists has developed a method for 3D printing polymers at specific locations deep within living animals.
Using AI to analyse ultrasound scans can detect up to 35% more risk pregnancies than scans performed by healthcare professionals without AI decision support, according to new results.
Bringing diagnostics and therapy closer together - that is the basic concept behind theranostics. Through further development of its PET/MR scanners, Siemens Healthineers aims to advance this approach. Andreas Schneck, Head of the MRI Division at Siemens Healthineers, talks about the new system, which was also presented at the European Congress of Radiology (ECR) in Vienna, and its advantages in…
Researchers developed biomimetic materials inspired by lymph nodes, which could improve cancer immunotherapy. The study highlights the potential of bioengineered scaffolds for cell-based therapies.
A new method to quickly and accurately analyze the structure of collagen in tissue shows promise to improve the diagnostics of cancer and other diseases.
Smaller than a grain of rice: US engineers have developed a pacemaker so tiny that it can fit inside the tip of a syringe — and be non-invasively injected into the body.
With the Eluxeo® 8000 system, Fujifilm Healthcare Europe is bringing their latest in endoscopy to European markets. The system – the first in an all-new series – features new therapeutic capabilities, workflow management and improved image quality.
Researchers have developed ‘sponge-like’ microneedle patches that deliver bioactive ingredients and reduce inflammation in slow- and non-healing diabetic wounds.
Leveraging bioink from pancreatic tissue and 3D bioprinting, researchers developed a structure closely mimicking the structure of a pancreas, in which cultured cells can resume insulin production.
Engineers developed a robotic probe that can generate high-resolution 3D ultrasound images from deep inside the gastrointestinal tract. The robot reaches its target with a unique kind of movement.
Researchers developed an AI-based system which has has a broad ability to identify even subtle differences between medical images taken at different times, and to predict related outcome measures.
Photon counting detectors along with novel algorithms allow for more precise 3D visualization of different tissues and contrast agents by capturing X-rays at multiple energy levels simultaneously.
A new AI-enhanced technique makes breast cancer tissue “glow” on MRI scans. This not only improves breast cancer detection but also can help treat it more effectively, the researchers say.
The shimmering blue wings of a Morpho butterfly are not just beautiful to look at - they can also help make cancer diagnosis faster, more accurate and more accessible, new research finds.
Researchers at the University of Sydney are using so-called Zwitterions to create a surface coating that could stop blood clotting in medical devices and implants like catheters and stents.
Patient-specific 3D printed surgical guides could provide a clear visual aid that helps cardiac surgeons locate key treatment areas on the heart, such as the optimal location to build the bypass vein.
More than just a sports injury: A new study shows that head trauma may activate latent viruses, leading to neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
In a new study, researchers have shown, for the first time, that a particular form of MRI, called diffusion tensor imaging, is capable of robustly detecting pre-malignant lesions in the pancreas.
A new type of photocurrent-responsive coating has been shown to shorten the bone-to-implant integration time after orthopaedic surgery to just two weeks.
When women are pregnant and nurse their babies, their bodies change to ensure the health of both mother and child. Researchers now surprisingly find that the intestine also changes completely.
US engineers turned to the world of parasites as inspiration to affix small-scale medical devices to the GI tract or other soft tissues for sensing, sample collection, and extended drug release.
A newly developed ‘biocooperative’ material based on blood can guide key processes taking place during the natural healing of tissues to create living materials that enhance tissue regeneration.
Recent developments in deep learning techniques are enhancing clinical imaging quality and reducing radiation exposure for patients while also maintaining diagnostic accuracy. The latest AI (artificial intelligence) component to clinical imaging – referred to as deep learning reconstruction (DLR) – is having a particular benefit in paediatric imaging, according to Dr Samuel Brady from…
The year: 2034. Breast cancer patients benefit from perfectly personalised diagnostics and therapies. The tedium of follow-up treatments is a thing of the past, thanks to AI, augmented reality and robotics. Just a tale from the realm of science fiction, or could this soon be clinical reality? At the annual meeting of the German Senologic Society, Prof Dr Marc Thill from the Agaplesion Markus…
An “out-of-this-world” project has the potential to transform the future of tissue engineering and liver transplantation through research conducted aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
A sensor that measures forces passing through the hip joint could help surgeons assess and balance the soft tissues before performing hip implant surgery, leading to more accurate implant positioning.
Radiotherapy for breast cancer is always associated with the risk of damage to organs or surrounding tissue. A new positioning system, which has now been patented by the Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences (HSHL), positions the breast far away from the upper body and thus increases the distance to the organs at risk. The medical device called "X-Akt Mamma RTX" is now set to be…
Using a melt electrowriting (MEW) technique, bioengineers have developed a hybrid structure to address the clinical need for small-diameter vascular grafts and help combat cardiovascular disease.
Researchers explore the native bioproduction facilities in bacteria to synthesize a new biopolymer with tissue-healing properties. The resulting hydrogel could be used for muscle tissue regeneration.
Using conventional ultrasound, researchers have developed a model that determines whether conditions such as fibrosis or edema are present in the lungs, and gives information about the severity.
A crucial component in joints, cartilage is notoriously difficult to repair. Now, US researchers have developed a promising bioactive material to regenerate cartilage in knee joints.
A band-aid for the heart? US researchers have developed a new way to 3D print material that is at once elastic, tough, and shapable enough to fit a patient’s unique heart or joint defects.
Researchers have created a mucus-based bioink which can be used for 3D printing lung tissue. This advance could one day help study and treat chronic lung conditions.
US researchers applied an injectable new therapy, which harnesses fast-moving “dancing molecules,” to repair damaged human cartilage cells within just 4 hours.
Researchers at MIT and ETH Zurich developed an AI model that identifies certain breast cancer stages likely to progress to invasive forms of cancer.
The pace of artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in personalised medicine is unsettling for great parts of the public. A new survey reflects the worried state of mind in the UK.
New research shows that the AI large language model ChatGPT can be tailored to provide accurate responses to questions about digital pathology and compile detailed results.
Researchers at Stanford have demonstrated that conditions in the matrix surrounding pancreatic cancer cells impact whether those cells respond to chemotherapy.
A whole-body MRI scanner with a compact 0.05 Tesla permanent magnet has been developed that operates on a standard wall power outlet without radiofrequency or magnetic shielding cages.
A new smartphone face-screening tool could help paramedics to identify stroke in seconds – much sooner and more accurately than is possible with current technologies.
Researchers have developed a technology for targeted stimulation of the brain with ultrasound. This could be used to treat diseases and conditions such as epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, depression, addiction, and even the aftereffects of stroke.
A new 3D graft printing technique offers a potential solution to reduce thrombosis and restrain aneurysmal dilatation post-surgery, with potential for improving cardiovascular disease treatments.
Researchers were able to produce sub-millimetre resolution images of cardiac micro-vessels. This non-invasive new technique could allow scientists to study the physiology of the heart in more detail.
TikTok has become a go-to platform for young people seeking answers – including health information. But how accurate are the medical ‘Toks’? A new study analyzed the quality of the content.
Researchers present a new method for generating human alveolar epithelial type I cells. This could ultimately progress therapies for people living with pulmonary diseases.
A new bioelectronic sensor enables continuous monitoring of bladder function. This could be a game-changer for people with paralysis, spina bifida, bladder cancer or end-stage bladder disease.
A research team created a computational model that simulates the invasion of cancer cells in breast tumors on a biomechanical level. This could help predict the evolution of breast cancer in patients.
A team of Northwestern University scientists has developed the first wireless, implantable temperature sensor to detect inflammatory flareups in patients with Crohn’s disease.
Researchers work on the first prototype that applies AI to colorectal diagnosis. The prototype achieved a diagnostic acuity of 93.44% and a sensitivity of 99.7% in the detection of high-risk lesions.
In a breakthrough for personalised oncology, scientists have developed and demonstrated a novel platform that can significantly reduce the time needed to determine the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs.
An innovative solution based on nanotechnology and ultrasound could prevent over-treatment of patients with rectal cancer. The magnetomotive ultrasound system uses nanotechnology for reliable diagnosis of any spread of rectal cancer to nearby lymph nodes.
Researchers present new 3D-printable materials that can be easily monitored using X-ray or CT imaging. This has great potential to expand the possibilities of reconstructive and plastic surgery.
Patients suffering from cartilage defects in the knee may benefit from a new method in development: Using cartilage from the nose, researchers grow a tailor-made implant.
Not all medication can safely be taken together. Using a machine-learning algorithm, researchers predict interactions that could interfere with a drug’s effectiveness.
Researchers have developed a 3D-bioprinted, miniaturized chip to advance the understanding of cardiovascular disease and aid in the development of new precision treatments.
On 9 December 2023, NovaLife Polyclinic, with over 15 years of experience in the private healthcare sector in Timișoara, proudly inaugurated its state-of-the-art branch in the vibrant capital city of Bucharest.
The loss of myelin sheaths in the brain is a hallmark of multiple sclerosis. Swiss researchers have now developed an MRI method that maps the condition of this nerve insulation layer more accurately.
Researchers in Singapore have developed an AI-based software to assist in the early detection of breast cancer. Using thermal imaging, the program assesses the malignancy of a tumour.
A new soldering technique developed by Empa researchers is expected to prevent wound healing disorders and life-threatening complications from leaking sutures.
Combining a biological heart and a silicone robotic pump, researchers created a biorobotic heart that beats like a real one, with a focus on a valve on the left side of the heart.
A research team has developed a nanoparticle-based contrast agent with the properties necessary to successfully use MRI for targeted diagnosis of liver fibrosis.
Using a new technology developed at MIT, diagnosing lung cancer could become as easy as inhaling nanoparticle sensors and then taking a urine test that reveals whether a tumor is present.
Using AI and optoacoustic imaging, researchers have developed a new method to assess microvascular changes in the skin – and thus the severity of diabetes in the patient.
Using diffusion MRI technology, researchers in Sweden have found differences in brain tissue structure between patients with persisting symptoms after Covid-19 and healthy people.
Researchers and clinicians at Washington University in St. Louis found a way to improve diagnostic accuracy of potentially cancerous lesions in the ovaries and adnexal regions, or the fallopian tubes.
Researchers have developed a simple, yet efficient way to create cell-like synthetic structures. These artificial cells could be used for a range of medical purposes – for example, in drug delivery.
Researchers from the University of Birmingham have designed and developed a novel diagnostic device to detect traumatic brain injury (TBI) by shining a safe laser into the eye.
University of Waterloo researchers are pioneering a method to detect breast cancer in women early enough for them to receive life-saving treatment.
Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, have genetically engineered stem cells so that liver cells obtained from them would be invisible to the immune system.
A team of researchers and scientists from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have developed a stick-on ultrasound patch, the first fully integrated wearable system for evaluating cardiovascular function while people walk, run, or even ride a bicycle. This Ultrasonic system-on-patch (USoP) is the result of several years of research conducted by nanoengineering department engineers.
Pancreatic cancer is not just one disease, but that’s the way it is currently treated. New work from Columbia University could help pave the way for a change.
Inspired by the enhanced visual system of butterflies, researchers have developed an imaging sensor to “see” into the UV range for differentiating between cancer and normal cells.
A team of researchers has developed a visualisation tool that combines high-speed cameras and fluorescent injection to distinguish tumour tissue from normal tissue across cancer types.
Chronic wounds in diabetes patients are often slow to heal, which can lead to serious infections and even limb amputation. Now, researchers propose to address this with a magnetic wound-healing gel.
Scalpels with built-in sensors could streamline training for surgeons and pave the way for procedures performed by robotic devices, a study suggests.
University of Oxford researchers demonstrated that neural cells can be 3D printed to mimic the architecture of the cerebral cortex. This could be used in patients after brain injuries.
Researchers in Spain have developed a system using patient cells which represents the first 3D muscle model capable of replicating the damage caused by Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).
A team from UNC has developed a steerable lung robot that can autonomously maneuver the intricacies of the lung, while avoiding important lung structures.
Engineers from MIT are developing a device containing insulin-producing cells and a tiny oxygen-producing factory to keep the cells of diabetes patients healthy.
Researchers have developed an aero-elastic pressure sensor to provide increased precision and reliability across medical applications, such as minimally-invasive surgeries and implantable sensors.
New technology that creates ultra-thin layers of human cells in tube-like structures could spur development of lifelike blood vessels and intestines in the lab.
A new device, designed by MIT researchers, could detect breast cancer earlier. The scanner, which can be incorporated into a bra, could allow more frequent monitoring of high-risk patients.
A tiny robot which can travel deep into the lungs to detect and treat the first signs of cancer has been developed by researchers at the University of Leeds.
Researchers at Mayo Clinic have developed a 3D prototype of human skin bioprinted to model inflammatory skin disease such as atopic dermatitis — more commonly known as eczema.
Scientists have developed a tool to create a digital replica of an individual's heart, which could inform the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Researchers at NIST have been working on several fronts to advance low-field MRI technology and validate methods for creating images with weaker magnetic fields.
Using 4D printing technology, researchers have developed flexible electrodes. On contact with moisture, they automatically fold and wrap themselves around thin nerves.
New research shows how AI can be used to fuse images from clinical X-ray CT and MRI scans to allow a clearer and more clinically useful interpretation of the images.
Surgical robots are becoming widespread in operating theatres, delivering accuracy and safety. An overview of the main systems, principal operators, the market and European initiatives in this field.
An MRI invention from engineers at the University of Waterloo reveals better than many existing imaging technologies how Covid-19 can change the human brain.
To ensure that wounds remain tightly sealed in the abdomen after surgery, researchers at Empa and ETH Zurich have developed a patch with a sensor function.
Newly developed “smart” coatings for surgical orthopedic implants can monitor strain on the devices to provide early warning of implant failures while killing infection-causing bacteria.
Ever-more sophisticated robots are advancing healthcare across a wide range of areas. Latest developments and research are being showcased in London from May 29 to June 2 at the 40th International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA). The event is set to be the world’s largest gathering on robotics and automation with pioneers, inventors and innovators coming together with academics,…
New research has identified a potential therapeutic target and developed a unique delivery system to treat osteosarcoma, a bone cancer that primarily affects children and adolescents.
A new kind of smart bandage developed at Caltech may make treatment of chronic wounds - for example caused by diabetes - easier, more effective, and less expensive.
Cambridge researchers have developed a new type of neural implant that could restore limb function to amputees and others who have lost the use of their arms or legs.
A new real-time imaging technique that uses a type of infrared light has, for the first time, been used during surgery to differentiate between cancerous tumours and healthy tissue.
A new ultrasound method that can measure the level of tension in human tissue for the first time - a key indicator of disease - has been developed by researchers from the University of Sheffield.
Scientists from Japan demonstrated, for the first time, a successful chemogenetic suppression of widespread epileptic seizures in macaque monkeys. Their findings represent an essential step towards clinical trials, and effective treatment for patients with severe epilepsy.
Researchers at the University of New South Wales unveil prototype device that can directly 3D print living cells onto internal organs and potentially be used as an all-in-one endoscopic surgical tool.
Exposure to a mixture of chemicals called PFAS - also known as 'forever chemicals' - leads to alterations in biological processes associated with a broad range of diseases, a new study finds.
A Korean research team successfully changed the properties of carcinogenic cells in the lungs and eliminate both drug resistance and their ability to proliferate out to other areas of the body.
Researchers generated human mini bones in the lab which mirror the composition and function of human bone - a step toward the development of future patient-tailored models of bone cancers and tumors.
Researchers at the University of Tokyo have used artificial DNA to target and kill cancer cells in a completely new way. The method showed promising results against various cancers in lab tests on mice.
Engineers have developed an electronic patch that can give medical professionals unprecedented access to crucial information that could help spot life-threatening conditions.
Researchers have developed a so-called “heart attack on a chip”, which could one day serve as a testbed to develop new heart drugs and even personalized medicines.
Scientists from Singapore discovered a novel low-cost method of testing for cancers. The test sequences heated clinical samples to isolate cancer-specific signatures found in a patient’s blood.
Canadian researchers have developed a new method of killing brain cancer cells while preserving the tissue around it. A remarkable side-benefit: chemotherapy of the cancer suddenly becomes possible.
Swiss researchers developed a new MRI method to visualise metabolic processes in the body. Their objective is to improve the future diagnosis and treatment of heart disease.
It is the size of a common pencil eraser, but it could have a huge impact on the therapy of glioblastoma: Scientists in Virginia have developed a novel 3D tissue-engineered model of the brain tumour microenvironment, which can be used to assess how the glioma cell invades healthy tissue, proliferates, and reacts to chemotherapy drugs.
A custom-made new hip, a knee or maybe a piece of bone? The technology and possibilities for 3D printing are (almost) there. And such an implant from a 3D printer has many advantages, not only for the patient, but also for the surgeon who has to perform the operation. Koen Willemsen, physician, and medical engineer at the University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU), was at the cradle of the 3D lab…
A new X-ray technology has been used to identify a link between the damage that severe Covid-19 can inflict on lungs and pulmonary fibrosis, a disease that causes severe scarring of lung tissue.
With the rise of syndrome-style infections, co-infections and the current antimicrobial resistance challenges, the need for multiplexed diagnostics is now more important than ever.
Engineers from EPFL and the University of Strasbourg have developed a surgical needle whose trajectory can be corrected on the fly, thanks to a flexible tip controlled with a simple button.
Deaths from cancer are currently estimated at 10 million each year worldwide. Conventional cancer staging systems aim to categorize patients into different groups with distinct outcomes. ‘However, even within a specific stage, there is often substantial variation in patient outcomes,’ Markus Plass, academic researcher from the Medical University of Graz, Austria, explained to Healthcare in…
Treatment of central nervous system diseases and tumors is often hindered by the blood-brain barrier. A new method aims to overcome this obstacle using focused ultrasound intranasal delivery (FUSIN).
Many consider our eyes to be the windows to the soul. Yet the cornea, the panes of these windows, sometimes need significant repair. Friso Heslinga, PhD, created artificial intelligence models to support surgeons in one of the oldest and most common transplantation procedures.
Researchers propose a new approach to identify cancerous tissue for surgical removal, based on real-time imaging of tissue oxygen concentration.
In the future, many types of open surgeries will be replaced with minimally invasive interventions, predicts Kevin Cleary, PhD, engineering lead at the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National Hospital, and Professor of Pediatrics and Radiology at George Washington University, both in Washington, D.C. Surgeons and interventional radiologists will be able…
A newly developed capsule that tunnels through mucus in the GI tract could be used to orally administer large protein drugs such as insulin.
Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to transform cancer treatment management worldwide. Their ability to rapidly analyse and integrate routinely acquired diverse data will improve the accuracy and effectiveness of precision medical treatments.
A large epidemiological study shows that patients with an autoimmune disorder have a substantially higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease than individuals without autoimmune disease.
A research team has created the first gel-based cartilage substitute that is even stronger and more durable than the real thing, offering a promising solution for patient suffering from knee pain.
New research shows that cell-cell signaling could play a key role in the thickening of arteries due to high blood pressure.
A new device, which doesn’t rely on immunosuppressing drugs, may assist efforts to develop an artificial pancreas to treat diabetes.
Dark-field radiography uses a part of X-rays that has hardly been considered so far to expand the spectrum of diagnostic imaging. At the ECR Overture, Theresa Urban presented the new method.
By recreating the helical structure of heart muscles, bioengineers improve understanding of how the heart beats.
Reseachers have developed a novel microneedle for injecting therapeutics into the eyes, potentially solving one of the major challenges of treating eye diseases.
Researchers have shown that aggregation of amyloid-beta, one of two key proteins implicated in Alzheimer’s disease, causes cells to overheat and ‘fry like eggs.’
Researchers have developed 3D printed artificial heart valves designed to allow a patient’s own cells to form new tissue.
The research team Liver4Life has treated an originally damaged human liver in a machine for three days outside a body and then implanted the recovered organ into a cancer patient.
Wireless bioresorbable pacemaker bypasses need to extract non-biodegradable leads, eliminating additional risk to the patient.
Biomaterial engineers have developed the first-ever hydrophobic fluid, which instantly displaces body fluids surrounding an injury allowing for near-instantaneous gelling, sealing, and healing of injured tissue.
A research team in Spain and the US has created 3D-printed acoustic holograms to improve the treatment of diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, among others.
Silk-based material under skin changes color in response to oxygen, and in the future might be adapted to track glucose and other blood components.
Recently, a Korean research team has developed a 3D foot imaging technique that vividly captures peripheral blood vessels, even thinner than 1 mm. It combines photoacoustic and ultrasound images.
A major advance demonstrates first multi-organ chip made of engineered human tissues linked by vascular flow for improved modeling of systemic diseases like cancer.
Researchers have established an injectable hybrid inorganic nanoscaffold-templated stem cell assembly and applied it to the regeneration of critically-sized cartilage defects.
Noninvasive sound technology breaks down liver tumors in rats, kills cancer cells and spurs the immune system to prevent further spread.
An international team of engineers is bioprinting bone along with two growth factor encoding genes that help incorporate the cells and heal defects in the skulls of rats.
An algorithm built to assess scar patterns in patient heart tissue can predict potentially life-threatening arrhythmias more accurately than doctors can.
MediSCAPE, a high-speed 3D microscope, can see real-time cellular detail in living tissues to guide surgery, speed up tissue analyses, and improve treatments.
3D-printed sugar models of dense and chaotic blood vessel networks near tumors could help future cancer treatments.
A new research venture pairs cutting-edge particle accelerator science and radiation therapy.
A brain-computer interface array featuring microneedles affixed to a flexible backing allows arrays of micro-scale needles to conform to the contours of the brain.
A proof of concept for a robot that can reach some of the smallest bronchial tubes in the lungs to take tissue samples or deliver cancer therapy.
Synthetic correlated diffusion makes cancerous tissue glow in medical images could help doctors more accurately detect and track the progression of cancer over time.
The AI-Guided Ultrasound Intervention Device is a lifesaving technology that helps a range of users deliver complex medical interventions at the point of injury.
By employing artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics to formulate therapeutic proteins, researchers promoted tissue regeneration.
Using a novel probe for functional magnetic resonance imaging, researchers have devised a way to monitor individual populations of neurons and reveal how they interact with each other.
A biocompatible ultrasound transducer chip could be a more effective way to harness the technology for biomedical applications.
A miniature colonoscopy robot on tank-like treads, which carries a camera and uses other small surgical tools, could have clear benefits for both patients and endoscopists.
Researchers pinpoint a sound-sensitive mammalian protein that lets them activate brain, heart or other cells with ultrasound.
Engineers at MIT have developed a kind of surgical duct tape — a strong, flexible, and biocompatible sticky patch that can be applied to biological tissues and organs to help seal tears and wounds.
A robot has performed laparoscopic surgery on the soft tissue of a pig without the guiding hand of a human – a significant step toward fully automated surgery on humans.
Scientists reported the key role of histone acetylation-regulated long noncoding RNA termed as lysosome cell death regulator (LCDR) in tumor survival, providing a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target for lung cancer.
When a patient suffers a stroke, speed in treatment can mean the difference between successful recovery, permanent disability, or death. For Christopher Hess, success in stroke diagnosis is a question of workflow and efficient care delivery.
Dr Jan Stallkamp, Professor for Automation in Healthcare and Biotechnology, has a vision: robots that can treat patients more efficiently and more precisely than any human physician.
A tiny ‘pop-up’ sensor monitors the electrical activity inside heart cells. The device could provide new insights into cardiac diseases, including myocardial infarction and arrhythmias.
Evonik offers a comprehensive portfolio of 3D printable med-tech biomaterials that can be used to produce medical devices with temporary or permanent body contact. Marc Knebel, head of Medical Systems at Evonik, explains the benefits and applications of the new high-performance polymer VESTAKEEP Care M40 3DF.
To detect wound complications as soon as they happen, a team of researchers has invented a smart suture that is battery-free and can wirelessly sense and transmit information from deep surgical sites.
Loosening hip implants can cause major damage to the bone and a simple replacement won’t suffice to carry the load during movements. “To solve this problem we have to turn to innovative technologies such as bioprinting. Scaffolds are required that – while adapting slowly – offer long-term stability,” says Professor Dr Dieter Wirtz, Director of the Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma…
Combining knowledge of chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering, scientists from McGill University develop a biomaterial tough enough to repair the heart, muscles, and vocal cords, representing a major advance in regenerative medicine.
A team led by the University of Washington has developed a new, non-destructive method that images entire 3D biopsies instead of a slice. The 3D images provided more information than a 2D image — specifically, details about the tree-like structure of the glands throughout the tissue.
A bionic eye being developed by a team of biomedical researchers has shown to be safe and stable for long-term implantation in a three-month study, paving the way towards human trials.
Mammograms are a safe, effective way to detect the presence of breast cancer in women. But doctors recommend most females should start getting mammograms after the age of 40 in part because the procedure involves small doses of ionizing radiation. While the risk of getting breast cancer is higher for older people, it can strike at any age. Studies show that 5% to 7% of females with breast cancer…
Researchers have developed an ultra-thin wireless device, called osseosurface electronic, that grows to the surface of bone and could someday help physicians monitor bone health and healing over long periods.
Researchers at the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis found a way to significantly reduce the noise and maintain image quality while reducing the laser energy needed to generate images by 80%.
A 'new technology shows promise by analyzing images of suspicious-looking lesions and quickly producing a detailed, microscopic image of the skin, bypassing several standard steps typically used for diagnosis - including skin biopsy, tissue fixation, processing, sectioning and histochemical staining.
The damage caused by Covid-19 to the lungs’ smallest blood vessels has been intricately captured using high-energy X-rays emitted by a special type of particle accelerator. Scientists used a new imaging technology called Hierarchical Phase-Contrast Tomography (HiP-CT), to scan donated human organs, including lungs from a Covid-19 donor.
The first investigational transplantation of a genetically engineered, nonhuman kidney to a human body was recently completed at NYU Langone Health—marking a major step forward in potentially utilizing an alternative supply of organs for people facing life-threatening disease.
Blood transfusions save lives, yet the precious fluid is in desperately short supply around the globe. But what if transfusions don’t always require blood? A new mathematical model of the body’s interacting physiological and biochemical processes – including blood vessel expansion, blood thickening and flow-rate changes in response to the transfusion of red blood cells – shows that…
Researchers at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) and Pulmobiotics S.L have created the first ‘living medicine’ to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria growing on the surfaces of medical implants. The researchers created the treatment by removing a common bacteria’s ability to cause disease and repurposing it to attack harmful microbes instead.
Researchers at the University of Southampton have invented a new way to generate human cartilage tissue from stem cells. The technique could pave the way for the development of a much-needed new treatment for people with cartilage damage. Cartilage acts as a shock absorber in joints, but it is susceptible to damage through daily wear-and-tear, or trauma from sports injuries and falls.
Machine learning methods are being used to predict the health of the placenta from a 30-second MRI scan. Researchers hope the approach will offer an insight into the health of expectant mothers and unborn babies by detecting the early signs of dangerous conditions such as pre-eclampsia. Researchers from the School of Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences at King’s College London (KCL)…
Research led by the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) on the interaction between prostate cancer cells and the tumour microenvironment has shed more light on the propensity of some types of prostate cancer to metastasize to bone more readily than other types.
In the fight against diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), biomedical engineering researchers at the University of Southern California have created a powerful lab model to better see how our muscles and neurons connect.
Cartilage cells from the nasal septum can not only help repair cartilage injuries in the knee, they can also withstand the chronic inflammatory tissue environment in osteoarthritis and even counteract the inflammation – according to researchers from the University of Basel and the University Hospital Basel.
Using lab-created tissue to heal or replace damaged organs is one of the great visions for the future of medicine. Synthetic materials could be suitable as scaffolding for tissue because, unlike natural tissues, they remain stable in the organism long enough for the body to form new natural structures. A fundamental requirement for functional tissue is that blood vessels must be able to grow in…
Efforts to understand cardiac disease progression and develop therapeutic tissues that can repair the human heart are just a few areas of focus for the Feinberg research group at Carnegie Mellon University. The group's latest dynamic model, created in partnership with collaborators in the Netherlands, mimics physiologic loads on engineering heart muscle tissues, yielding an unprecedented view of…
Why do alterations of certain genes cause cancer only in specific organs of the human body? Scientists at the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), the Technical University of Munich (TUM), and the University Medical Center Göttingen have now demonstrated that cells originating from different organs are differentially susceptible to activating mutations in cancer drivers: The same mutation in…
Cécile Geneviève is one of the few women who lead research and development (R&D) at a major company and her increasingly female team reflects women’s growing interest in the field. But while gender balance is an important criterion, it takes a broad palette of skills to innovate to alleviate pain for millions of patients, she explained in an interview with Healthcare in Europe.
Computer models have been standard tools in basic biomedical research for many years. However, around 70 years after the first publication of an ion current model of a nerve cell by Hodgkin & Huxley in 1952, researchers at Graz University of Technology (TU Graz), in collaboration with the Medical University of Graz and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, have finally…
We recently had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Peter Riegman from Erasmus University. Dr. Riegman is a Molecular Biologist and head of the Erasmus MC Tissue Bank. As an early adopter of digital pathology, Dr. Riegman purchased his first Hamamatsu Photonics whole slide scanner in 2005. It was a NanoZoomer HT, one of Hamamatsu’s very first production units, and it is still in daily use at…
Researchers at Northwestern and George Washington (GW) universities have developed the first-ever transient pacemaker — a wireless, battery-free, fully implantable pacing device that disappears after it’s no longer needed. The thin, flexible, lightweight device could be used in patients who need temporary pacing after cardiac surgery or while waiting for a permanent pacemaker. All components…
Inspired by kirigami, the Japanese art of folding and cutting paper to create three-dimensional structures, MIT engineers and their collaborators have designed a new type of stent that could be used to deliver drugs to the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, or other tubular organs in the body.
Researchers funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) have developed biodegradable microspheres that can be used to deliver heart cells generated from stem cells to repair damaged hearts after a heart attack, in research presented at the British Cardiovascular Society conference.
A collaboration spanning four research labs and hundreds of miles has used the organ-on-a-chip (Organ Chip) technology from the Wyss institute at Harvard Univesity to identify the antimalarial drug amodiaquine as a potent inhibitor of infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. The Organ Chip-based drug testing ecosystem established by the collaboration greatly streamlines the…
Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) want to build the world’s first prototype that tracks moving tumors with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in real time during proton therapy. They are combining a rotating open MRI device, designed for the LINAC-MR system from Alberta Health Services, with an actively scanned clinical-akin proton beam at OncoRay, the Dresden-based…
Over the past decade, the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system has revolutionized genetic engineering, allowing scientists to make targeted changes to organisms’ DNA. While the system could potentially be useful in treating a variety of diseases, CRISPR-Cas9 editing involves cutting DNA strands, leading to permanent changes to the cell’s genetic material. Now, in a paper published online in Cell,…
At a cost of $38 billion a year, an estimated 5.3 million people are living with a permanent disability related to traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the United States today, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The physical, mental and financial toll of a TBI can be enormous, but new research from the University of Georgia provides promise. In a new study, researchers at…
Researchers at the Human Genome and Stem Cell Research Center (HUG-CELL), hosted by the University of São Paulo’s Institute of Biosciences (IB-USP) in Brazil, have developed a technique to reconstruct and produce livers in the laboratory. The proof-of-concept study was conducted with rat livers. In the next stage of their research, the scientists will adapt the technique for the production of…
A new study by scientists at Kyoto University and the University of Fukui may offer hope for adults who have lost their teeth. The team reports that an antibody for one gene - uterine sensitization associated gene-1 or USAG-1 - can stimulate tooth growth in mice suffering from tooth agenesis, a congenital condition. The paper was published in Science Advances. Although the normal adult mouth has…
An innovative hydrogel – called a double network (DN) gel – can rapidly reprogram differentiated cancer cells into cancer stem cells, researchers at Hokkaido University and the National Cancer Center Research Institute have reported in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering. The hydrogel can be used to help develop new cancer therapies and personalized medicines targeting cancer stem cells.
Healthy and cancer cells can look similar under a microscope. One way of differentiating them is by examining the level of acidity, or pH level, inside the cells. Tapping on this distinguishing characteristic, a research team from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has developed a technique that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to determine whether a single cell is healthy or cancerous…
MRI scanning can more precisely define and detect head, neck, thoracic, abdominal and spinal malformations in unborn babies, finds a large multidisciplinary study led by King’s College London with Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London (UCL). In the study, published in Lancet Child and Adolescent Health, the team of researchers and…
AI is revamping workflows and experts showed how radiologists can integrate it into their department to improve daily practice and healthcare at ECR. The panel also discussed the health economics side of AI to help radiologists define which products make more economic sense for their department. The session tackled automated organ segmentation, an interesting application for AI in radiology.
A new deep learning system to help radiologists improve their workflow efficiency when reading high volumes of screening mammograms is being developed at Johns Hopkins University’s Radiology Artificial Intelligence Lab (RAIL) in Baltimore, MD. DeepCAT (Deep Computer-Aided Triage) is focused on workflow prioritization.
According to the World Health Organization, one in six worldwide deaths have been attributed to cancer; however, these fatalities were not due to initial malignant tumors—the deaths were caused by the spread of cancer cells to surrounding tissues and subsequent tumor growth. These tissues, which consist largely of collagen, have been the focus of a recent collaborative study by a team from…
Grafting neurons grown from monkeys’ own cells into their brains relieved the debilitating movement and depression symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease, researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison report. In a study published in the journal Nature Medicine, the team describes its success with neurons made from induced pluripotent stem cells from the monkeys’ own bodies.…
A £4 million research project will develop a new generation of artificial joints that last longer, produce fewer side effects and are better suited for younger people. The international collaboration, led by the University of Leeds and funded by the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme, will focus on improved design and testing to reduce the chance that the implants develop faults and fail, or cause…
Before Wilhelm Röntgen, a mechanical engineer, discovered a new type of electromagnetic radiation in 1895, physicians could only dream of being able to see inside the body. Within a year of Röntgen’s discovery, X-rays were being used to identify tumors. Within 10 years, hospitals were using X-rays to help diagnose and treat patients. In 1972, computed tomography (CT) scans were developed. In…
Anyone needing a tomography gets the clearest possible images of an organ or other body structure slice by slice. But the further inside the potential problem lies, the more difficult it is to obtain high-resolution images in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An international team of scientists led by the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) has developed a high-frequency coil that allows for much…
For the first time, engineered heart muscle (EHM) from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) will be used to treat patients with heart failure. After regulatory approval, recruitment of the first patient for the first-in-class, first-in-patient BioVAT-HF early clinical trial has started in Göttingen, Germany.
In a recent study, researchers at the Texas A&M University have described a new process to purify astatine-211, a promising radioactive isotope for targeted cancer treatment. Unlike other elaborate purification methods, their technique can extract astatine-211 from bismuth in minutes rather than hours, which can greatly reduce the time between production and delivery to the patient.
In many ways, our brain and our digestive tract are deeply connected. Feeling nervous may lead to physical pain in the stomach, while hunger signals from the gut make us feel irritable. Recent studies have even suggested that the bacteria living in our gut can influence some neurological diseases. Modeling these complex interactions in animals such as mice is difficult to do, because their…
Someone has a stroke every 40 seconds in the US, resulting in death every 4 minutes. Stroke is the leading cause of disability from a medical condition. When it happens, blood clots or bleeds kill a part of the brain – it goes dark – and can no longer control part of the body. People stop being able to walk, see, talk, or control their hand or arm the way they once did. Although treatments…
Blood draws are no fun. They hurt. Veins can burst, or even roll — like they’re trying to avoid the needle, too. Oftentimes, doctors use blood samples to check for biomarkers of disease: antibodies that signal a viral or bacterial infection, such as SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, or cytokines indicative of inflammation seen in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and…
When cancer is confined to one spot in the body, doctors can often treat it with surgery or other therapies. Much of the mortality associated with cancer, however, is due to its tendency to metastasize, sending out seeds of itself that may take root throughout the body. The exact moment of metastasis is fleeting, lost in the millions of divisions that take place in a tumor. “These events are…
Researchers at the Center for Computational Imaging and Personalized Diagnostics (CCIPD) at Case Western Reserve University have preliminarily validated an artificial intelligence (AI) tool to predict how likely the disease is to recur following surgical treatment for prostate cancer. The tool, called RadClip, uses AI algorithms to examine a variety of data, from MRI scans to molecular…
The advent of digital pathology is offering a unique opportunity to develop computerized image analysis methods to diagnose disease and predict outcomes for cancer patients from histopathology tissue sections. Such advances can help predict risk of recurrence, disease aggressiveness and long-term survival, according to a leading expert in the field, Professor Anant Madabhushi from Case Western…
Non-degradable prostheses for cardiovascular tissues can be used to replace heart valves and blood vessels, but they can’t stay in the body permanently. In two recent papers, researchers at the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) in collaboration with a number of clinical partners, the Dutch Heart Foundation, and TU/e spin-off companies Suprapolix, Xeltis, and STENTiT have shown how…
A panel of experts from the USA and China highlighted AI use in radiological workflow during the Covid pandemic and identified current pitfalls during the Hot Topic session at RSNA 2020. Radiologists from the USA prioritised Covid articles, delivered quick reviews, made all results open access, and helped organise a white paper from the Fleischner Society recognising recommendations for the role…
To target ionised radiation as precisely as possible, imaging a tumour is vital in radiotherapy planning. ‘Today, imaging is used increasingly during the therapy itself,’ explained Professor Mark Ladd during the 51st annual meeting of the German Society for Medical Physics (DGMP).
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is indispensable in medical diagnostics. However, MRI units are large and expensive to acquire and operate. With smaller and cost-efficient systems, MRI would be more flexible and more people could benefit from the technique. Such miniature MRI units generate a much weaker signal that is difficult to analyze, though. Researchers at the Göttingen Max Planck…
Researchers at Duke University and the University of California, Los Angeles, have developed a biomaterial that significantly reduces scar formation after wounding, leading to more effective skin healing. This new material, which quickly degrades once the wound has closed, demonstrates that activating an adaptive immune response can trigger regenerative wound healing, leaving behind stronger and…
The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is known to infect cells via the receptor ACE2. An international research team under German-Finnish coordination has now identified neuropilin-1 as a factor that can facilitate SARS-CoV-2 entry into the cells’ interior. Neuropilin-1 is localized in the respiratory and olfactory epithelia, which could be a strategically important localization to contribute to…
A team at Purdue University has developed a novel testing platform to evaluate how breast cancer cells respond to the recurrent stretching that occurs in the lungs during breathing. The technology is designed to better understand the effects that the local tissue has on metastatic breast cancer to study how metastases grow in a new tissue.
Xyall BV, a medtech innovator in molecular pathology, has entered into a multi-year, strategic partnership with Motic, a world leader in microscopy and digital pathology systems. Their goal is to develop an automated, high-precision table-top tumour tissue dissection solution for hospital-based molecular pathology laboratories.
Researchers at the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a new method of 3D-printing gels and other soft materials. Published in a new paper, it has the potential to create complex structures with nanometer-scale precision. Because many gels are compatible with living cells, the new method could jump-start the production of soft tiny medical devices such as…
Michigan State University researchers have created for the first time a miniature human heart model in the laboratory, complete with all primary heart cell types and a functioning structure of chambers and vascular tissue.
Medical device approved 3-D printers are producing clinically safe and effective nasopharyngeal swabs for COVID-19 testing. A nasal swab may seem rudimentary, but is essential for testing COVID-19. Diagnostic test kits and components – nasal swabs, collection vials, and chemical reagents – have been in short supply worldwide, especially in March. Ironically, nasopharyngeal swabs are…
Neuroradiologist Dr Sofie Van Cauter described the challenges to brain tumour image segmentation during the European Society of Medical Imaging Informatics (EuSoMII) annual meeting in Valencia. She also outlined how, when clinically validated, AI could help tackle such problems. The WHO classification of brain tumours has come a long way since first introduced in 1979. The 2016 classification was…
Using highly complex analytical techniques, a group of researchers from Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin were able to observe in detail how different metals are released from joint implants and accumulate in the surrounding bone tissue. Findings showed a steady release of metals from various implant components. In contrast to previous assumptions, this was not related to the degree of…
Scientists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have developed a synthetic peptide that can make multidrug-resistant bacteria sensitive to antibiotics again when used together with traditional antibiotics, offering hope for the prospect of a combination treatment strategy to tackle certain antibiotic-tolerant infections.
Several thousand strains of bacteria live in the human gut. Some of these are associated with disease, while others have beneficial effects on human health. Figuring out the precise role of each of these bacteria can be difficult, because many of them can’t be grown in lab studies using human tissue. This difficulty is especially pronounced for species that cannot live in oxygen-rich…
Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) have showed that applying “temporal pressure” to the skin of mice can create a new way to deliver drugs. In a paper published in Science Advances, the researchers showed that bringing together two magnets so that they pinch and apply pressure to a fold of…
Nanoelectronics and digital technologies R&D and innovation hub Imec recently received NASA funding to test a new technology in a gravity-free environment. Eventually, this will enable astronauts to perform blood tests to monitor their health. We discussed the project and technology with Nicolas Vergauwe, CEO of miDiagnostics, the Leuven firm that developed the diagnostic device, and Susana B…
Johns Hopkins scientists report the successful use of nanoparticles to deliver gene therapy for blinding eye disease. A uniquely engineered large molecule allows researchers to compact large bundles of therapeutic DNA to be delivered into the cells of the eye.
A new polymeric heart valve with a life span potentially longer than current artificial valves that would also prevent the need for the millions of patients with diseased heart valves to require life-long blood thinning tablets has been developed by scientists at the universities of Bristol and Cambridge. The team's latest in-vitro results, published in Biomaterials Science, suggest that the…
It’s currently difficult to screen for certain liver diseases and to monitor these conditions once they’re discovered. A team led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) recently developed a non-invasive imaging method that has promising clinical potential to accomplish both goals. The technique is described in a study…
A new technique could enable vascular surgeons to reach even the more difficult body regions. Instead of pushing catheters into minute veins, the system, devised in Canada by Professor Sylvain Martel and team at the Polytechnique Montréal Nanorobotics Laboratory, uses magnetic forces to pull a guidewire, or catheter, into remote physical locations, guiding medical instruments into narrow and…
Understanding the source and network of signals as the brain functions is a central goal of brain research. Now, Carnegie Mellon engineers have created a system for high-density EEG imaging of the origin and path of normal and abnormal brain signals.
An algorithm that analyses MRI images and automatically detects small changes in knee joints over time could be used in the development of new treatments for arthritis. A team of engineers, radiologists and physicians, led by the University of Cambridge, developed the algorithm, which builds a three-dimensional model of an individual’s knee joint in order to map where arthritis is affecting the…
MRI imaging is one of the best ways of examining different body tissue and obtaining information about injuries and illnesses. However, MRI scanners are typically large, heavy, and very expensive devices that need to be operated by specially trained healthcare personnel. Aalto University has just launched a project that studies and builds new magnetic resonance imaging technology, which enables…
What makes tumor cells turn murderous? The Fraunhofer Institute for Toxicology and Experimental Medicine ITEM is investigating the mechanisms of metastasis formation – and searching for approaches for new treatments in the fight against cancer. Among other things, the research team at Fraunhofer ITEM has developed a method that enables them to analyze entire lymph nodes.
