News • Implantable device for severe heart failure
Soft robotic heart: €10 million grant for research
The consortium Holland Hybrid Heart will receive €10 million to develop a soft robotic heart suitable for transplantation.
News • Multi-ancestry polygenic score
Dataset diversity improves heart disease risk prediction
By using genetic data on multiple traits from people of non-European ancestry, scientists have improved the accuracy of polygenic scores in predicting disease risk for all.
News • Sars-CoV-2, flu, RSV and other viruses
Proof-of-concept air monitor detects coronavirus variants in 5 minutes
Combining aerosol sampling and ultrasensitive biosensing, researchers have created a real-time monitor that can detect any of the Sars-CoV-2 virus variants in a room in about 5 minutes.
News • Study on period shifts, regularity, pain
Can the Covid vaccine affect menstruation?
Do coronavirus vaccines skew the menstrual cycle, cause more bleeding or pain? Anecdotal reports hint at a connection. Now, a new study led by Boston University provides answers.
News • Size-changing and personalised
Researchers create 4D printed implants for efficient breast cancer management
Researchers from Queen’s University Belfast have created personalised 4D printed “smart” implants for breast cancer management - a first for this technology.
News • Experimental biology
Global warming: how hot is too hot for human health?
Ongoing research at the University of Roehampton, UK has identified the upper critical temperature (UCT) for humans - and why our bodies cannot handle more heat.
News • Blood cancer research
Covid-19 booster vaccine strengthens immunity in lymphoma patients
Research by the University of Southampton has shown that repeated Covid-19 vaccination increases the ability of lymphoma patients to prevent infection from the virus, particularly after four doses.
News • New method
Time-released drug delivery could make vaccines last for months
Missing crucial doses of medicines and vaccines could become a thing of the past thanks to Rice University bioengineers’ technology for making time-released drugs.
News • Weight gain risks during pregnancy
Eating for two? It's not that simple
The old adage that expectant mums are ‘eating for two’ and don’t need to worry about weight gain can lead to health consequences for mum and baby, maternal health experts warn.
News • In the cryogenic environment
Deep-ultraviolet photonics for Sars-CoV-2 disinfection
A new publication discusses deep-ultraviolet (DUV) photonics for the disinfection of Sars-CoV-2 and its variants (Delta and Omicron) in the cryogenic environment.
News • Astrocyte research
New insight into how cancer metastasizes to the brain
A new US-led study shows that astrocyte brain cells play an important role in promoting brain metastasis by recruiting a specific subpopulation of immune cells.
News • "In-beam MRI"
Radiation therapy: proton trajectory made visible
For proton radiation therapy against cancer, there is yet no direct method for mapping the beam range during dose delivery. A new method devised by Dresden scientists could help.
News • Metallic, yet soft and flexible
A new medical robot, inspired by pangolins
German scientists have developed a magnetically controlled soft medical robot with a unique, flexible structure inspired by the body of a pangolin, that could heat up to mitigate bleeding.
News • Neurodegeneration
The importance of the liver-brain axis in Alzheimer's disease
A research team from Barcelona studied the liver of Alzheimer's disease mice models, and demonstrated the importance of the liver-brain axis regarding the psychological symptoms of the disease.
News • Joint implant material
Biodegradable gel shows promise for cartilage regeneration
A gel that combines both stiffness and toughness is a step forward in the bid to create biodegradable implants for joint injuries, according to new research from the University of British Columbia.
News • iPS cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells
Researchers discover new way to generate high-quality cartilage
A Japanese research group has developed a method using iPS cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells (iMSC) to create cartilage spheroids, offering new possibilities for tissue repair.
News • Study on gentle cleansers
Virus-killing properties of soaps: No need for the 'hard stuff'
Gentle cleansers are just as effective in killing viruses – including coronavirus – as harsh soaps, according to a new study from scientists at the University of Sheffield.
News • Gastric leak detection
Sensor patch monitors surgery sutures in the abdomen
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.
News • Brain cancer breakthrough
Can a virus help beat glioblastoma?
US researchers identified a potential breakthrough in glioblastoma treatment. Using a modified virus, they created a treatment that specifically attacks tumor cells, while leaving normal cells intact.
News • Counteracting neuroinflammation
Multiple sclerosis: Why women get better when pregnant
Women suffering from multiple sclerosis temporarily get much better when pregnant. Researchers have now identified the beneficial changes naturally occurring during pregnancy.
News • Researchers tie up loose ends
The ideal surgical knot (according to science)
Knots are a crucial part of surgery, but surprisingly little is known about how they work. To fill this gap, a team at EPFL started the first physics-based study on the mechanics of surgical knots, and exactly what properties influence their strength.
News • 3D vascular models
'Virtual blood vessel' technology could improve heart disease care
Patients with heart disease could benefit from less extensive interventions thanks to technology that creates 3D computer models of blood flow through the heart's arteries, according to new research.
News • Focused Rotary Jet Spinning
Rapid-production heart valves control blood flow immediately after implantation
A new method for cheaply producing heart valves in the span of minutes shows great promise. The scientists describe the method as "a cotton-candy machine with a hair dryer behind it."
News • Pregnancy complications
New model could predict preterm births from around week 31
Preterm birth affects nearly 10% of pregnancies worldwide, and rates are on the rise. A new approach that analyzes electrical activity during pregnancy, could improve predictions.
News • Targeted therapy
Biliary duct cancer: the future of precision oncology
Gene alterations in biliary tract cancer offer potential targets for current or future precision therapies. This is demonstrated by a new study from Vienna.