The nuclei of cells in our bodies is where much of the important intracellular processes take place. The genomic code is mostly stored within the nucleus and gene expression is controlled there, so getting drugs inside this most important organelle is a long sought goal of many researchers. Some viruses have been used to deliver […]
Author: Medgadged
Genomic Profiling for Precision Medicine: Interview with David Spetzler, Caris Life Sciences
Caris Life Sciences, a Dallas-based innovator in molecular science focused on fulfilling the promise of precision medicine, has developed the MI Genomic Profiling Similarity (GPS) score to compare the molecular characteristics of specific tumors against those in the Caris database. This allows clinicians to identify the molecular subtype of their p (Read more...)
Eko’s AI-Powered Stethoscopes Detect AFib, Heart Murmurs
Eko, a maker of high-end digital stethoscopes, has just received the first FDA clearance for its devices to use AI algorithms to automatically detect atrial fibrillation (AFib) and heart murmurs. Using this capability, primary care physicians, who are not nearly as extensively trained at spotting heart issues, will be able to identify potential cas (Read more...)
Nanoparticles Direct Immune System to Scrub Atherosclerotic Plaques
The buildup of plaques within blood vessel walls is the underlying cause of strokes and heart attacks. These plaques contain many dead or dying cells that are not flushed out by the immune system fast enough. Now, researchers from Stanford are reporting on a new drug-carrying nanoparticle that can seek out atherosclerotic plaques and stimulate [&he (Read more...)
GammaTiles Help Prevent Recurrence of Malignant Brain Tumors After Surgery
GT Medical Technologies, a company based in Tempe, Arizona, won FDA clearance for its GammaTiles to be used to prevent malignant brain tumors in newly diagnosed patients. The devices, about the size of a postage stamp, contain Cesium-131, a radioactive isotope with a half life of about ten days. The collagen material within which the […]
Device Links Up to 10 Organ Chips to Form Body-on-a-Chip
Researchers at the Harvard Wyss Institute have developed a “body-on-a-chip” consisting of up to 10 organ-on-a-chip devices that are linked together to mimic blood flow between different organ systems. The new system allows for more comprehensive drug testing, enabling researchers to see the effects of a drug on multiple organ systems si (Read more...)
Magnetic Microbots Deliver Stem Cells to Heal Knee Cartilage
As has been widely hyped for many years now, mesenchymal stem cells have the capacity to heal all sorts of damage in our bodies. The reality has been more complicated, since it is actually very difficult to get these cells to perform their magic just where we want them to. Damaged cartilage, for example, doesn’t […]
Mindray’s New High End Point of Care Ultrasound
Mindray is releasing a new point-of-care ultrasound system, the TE7 ACE. The device, intended for a variety of applications including emergency, critical care, and anesthesia, features a large color touchscreen, fluid management features, needle guidance toolkit, and electronic medical records connectivity. The company claims that the fluid measure (Read more...)
Portable Nanoplasmonic Imager Detects Sepsis Biomarkers
Sepsis is an incredibly dangerous condition, typically occurring within hospitals. According to a recent study nearly 20% of all deaths worldwide are caused by sepsis, as it is a disease that quickly gets out of control if not treated early and properly. At present, there is no easy way for clinicians to quickly provide a […]
Magnetized Particles Show Live Metabolic Activity of Breast Cancer
Current imaging methods that are used to spot tumors don’t provide much information about the rate of activity of the cells making up the diseased tissues. Breast cancer tumors, for example, are mostly classified into a few categories based on hormone receptor and HER2 expression. Researchers at Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute and the (Read more...)
Abbott Infinity First Brain Stimulator to Target GPi to Treat Parkinson’s
Abbott has announced that the FDA has given the company the first ever approval for a device to treat Parkinson’s by delivering deep brain stimulation (DBS) to the internal globus pallidus (GPi), an area associated with motor function. The Infinity DBS system, originally developed by St. Jude Medical that became part of Abbott, already has [& (Read more...)
Exclusive: Protolabs Help Paralympic Athlete “Monster” Mike Schultz Compete in Winter X Games Aspen 2020
Known in the racing community as “Monster” Mike Schultz, the 36-year-old from St. Cloud, MN has transformed the world of adaptive action sports in multiple ways. In 2008, Schultz suffered a knee injury during a snowmobile competition that resulted in amputation of his left leg above the knee. Limited by a prosthesis that didn’t pe (Read more...)
Antimicrobial Layer for Plastic Food Wrap Developed
Bacteria can take a ride and proliferate on the plastic wrap that foods are commonly packaged in. Researchers at Penn State have developed a way to bond a non-toxic transparent antimicrobial material to the ubiquitous polyethylene wrap that meats, vegetables, and mushrooms are sold in. The antimicrobial layer is made of a pullulan-based biopolymer, (Read more...)
Argon Releases Universal IVC Filter Removal Kits
Argon Medical Devices, a company based out of Frisco, Texas, is launching two kits for retrieving inferior vena cava (IVC) filters. IVC filters are used to prevent pulmonary embolisms, but when a patient no longer needs one it has to be removed. The two Argon kits are designed to fish out any retrievable IVC filter […]
Cook Releases TriForce Crossing Set for Complex Peripheral Disease
Cook Medical is releasing in the United States its TriForce Peripheral Crossing Set, devices made to support percutaneous wire guides while performing interventions within the peripheral vasculature. In addition to helping to directly treat obstructions, the devices can also be used to inject radiopaque angiography contrast media to image the vascu (Read more...)
VivaLNK Wearable, Reusable ECG Now FDA Cleared
VivaLNK, a company out of Silicon Valley, has announced FDA clearance for its reusable multi-vital patch and a compatible software development kit. The device is stuck to the skin to record ECG waveforms, respiratory rate, heart rate, RR interval, and patient movement, and so has promise in helping to detect cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial [&hel (Read more...)
Medtronic’s Tiny New Micra AV Pacemaker for AV Block FDA Approved
The FDA has just approved the smallest pacemaker with atrioventricular (AV) synchrony, the Micra AV. The device, intended to treat AV block, a condition typically requiring a dual-chamber pacemaker, is small enough to remain completely inside the heart. It doesn’t have any leads, nor any complications arising from them. It looks the same as M (Read more...)
Battery Powered Self-Moisturizing Contact Lenses
Scientists at Tohoku University in Japan have reported in journal Advanced Materials Technologies on the development of a contact lens that moisturizes the eye using tears in a reservoir behind the lower eyelid. The eye can dry up when covered with a contact lens, often leading to serious cases of dry eye syndrome that can […]
Body Worn Gas Sensor Sticks to Skin
Potential exposure to dangerous chemicals is a reality for many people working in mining and manufacturing, as well as medicine. While spills of liquids are easily detected, many gases are not. Sensitive wearable gas sensors stuck to the skin would be useful for gas exposure detection, but these devices have to be flexible, need a […]
Flexible Electronic Material Works as Wearable Air Conditioning
Controlling body heat is important in a variety of situations, particularly during heavy physical exertion and when patients have high fevers. Currently there are few methods of lowering one’s temperature, and many of those can be impractical, especially if a power source is required. Now, a team of scientists at the University of Missouri ha (Read more...)