Tag: Dermatology

Surgical Dressing Helps Kill Melanoma, Regenerate Healthy Cells

Scientists at the University of Nottingham in the UK have created a surgical dressing that is specifically designed to facilitate and enhance photothermal therapy following melanoma resection. The dressing allows for near-infrared photothermal therapy that lasts just 15 seconds every 48 hours. The concept involves killing any remaining melanoma cells, while encouraging healthy cells to […]

Nanotransfection Device for Tissue Reprogramming In Situ

Genetic modification offers huge potential in treating a wide variety of conditions, but the devil is in the details. Previously explored methods to deliver genes into cells, such as using viral vectors, have been connected with safety issues. As such, the potential of gene therapy has not yet been fully realized. Technological advances may offer […]

Cactus Spine-Inspired Sweat Collection Technology

A team of researchers at the Pohang University of Science & Technology in South Korea created a passive sweat collection device that is inspired by cactus spines. The device is intended as a means to collect sweat for biomedical analysis; for instance, to measure glucose levels in patients with diabetes. Having the ability to operate […]

Simple Color Change Test Identifies Wound Infections

Researchers at the University of Bath in the UK, along with outside collaborators, have developed a simple color change test that rapidly indicates whether a wound is infected with harmful bacteria. The test works by detecting virulence factors released by the bacteria, which prompt a simple color change in a solution. The test could help […]

Software Spots Suspicious Skin Lesions on Smartphone Photos

Melanoma, which accounts for over 70 percent of all skin cancers, occurs when pigment producing cells called melanocytes multiply uncontrollably. This cancer is typically diagnosed through visual inspection of Suspicious Pigmented Lesions (SPLs), and such early detection of lesions in a physician’s office are often life-saving. However, there are several disadvantages with this approach, including […]

Synthetic Melanin Protects from Radiation Damage

Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a new biomaterial, selenomelanin, that can help protect people from radiation. The new substance, chemically synthesized and produced by bacteria, helps protect cells from radiation more effectively than other forms of melanin. One day, it may be used in sunscreens, medical treatments, or for long-term spaceflight as a radioprotective […]

Patch for Melanoma Treatment to Make Chemo Easier, Painless, More Effective

Scientists at Purdue University are reporting a skin patch that can deliver chemotherapy into melanoma tumors in an effective, convenient, and painless way. This may be an important development, as currently chemotherapy delivery options are limited and result in systemic exposure in the whole body and/or poor effectiveness. Previous attempts at chemotherapy delivery via a […]

Microneedle Patch for Delivering Stem Cells Into Tissue

Researchers at the Terasaki Institute in Los Angeles have developed a microneedle patch to deliver mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into the skin. The biodegradable needles contain a gelatin matrix in which MSCs can survive. Once applied to the skin and removed, the needles detach from the patch and remain within the tissue. The hard outer […]

ENDOLIFT® Lunch-Time Laser Lifting With No Downtime

Eufoton® is a leading Italian manufacturer specialised in developing and producing portable medical lasers. The company was founded in 1999 by a highly-skilled medical and engineering team. Today, Eufoton®’s diode lasers are successfully used in many medical specialties. One of the most sought-after treatment patented by Eufoton® is ENDOLIFT®, a minimally invasive outpatient laser procedure […]

Micro-OCT Lets Docs Spot Tumors Below Tissue Surface

A collaboration between researchers at Nanyang Technological University, Harvard Medical School, and University of Alabama has led to the development of a prototype device capable of imaging through tissues at resolutions down to 1 micrometer (μm). The micro-OCT imager takes advantage of optical coherence tomography (OCT) at wavelengths between 700 and 950 nanometers. At these […]

Device Prints Scaffolds Inside Wounds to Replace Lost Tissue

3D printing of artificial scaffolds intended to replace injured tissues has become a ballyhooed technology that’s yet to prove itself in clinical practice. One issue that complicates things is that the scaffolds have to match the volume that they’ll be replacing, in both shape and the direction in which cells will have to grow. To […]