Vascular stents are some of the most commonly implanted medical devices, keeping millions of arteries open to uninterrupted blood flow. Though they tend to work well at first, too many end up being re-stenosed by new deposits of plaque and scar tissue often forms in the vicinity, blocking blood flow through the stent. Typically, renewed […]
Tag: Materials
Nanolasers to Shine Light on Things Inside Body
At the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, scientists have created microscopic lasers that may end up being used for imaging inside the body, control of biological activity via optogenetics, and performing novel biological studies on living specimens. The lasers, which are about 5 microns in diameter, smaller than red blood cells, turn infrared light into coherent […]
Nano Scale Matrix Promotes Neural Stem Cell Growth Without Risk of Cancer
Growing neural stem cells is a complicated process that has the potential to result in the unintended production of cancer cells. In large part this is due to the addition of growth factors to the culture mix, which can result in indiscriminate cellular multiplication. Now researchers from the Hong Kong Baptist University have developed a […]
Contact Lens Measures Glucose, pH, Lactate in Eye
At Purdue University researchers have come up with a way of reliably attaching thin film sensors and other small electronic devices to soft contact lenses. The capability may allow for real-time, non-invasive measurement of glucose levels, delivery of drugs directly to the eye, and maybe even tracking intraocular pressure. “We developed a very unique technology […]
Special Nanoparticles Cloaked in Tumor Cells Deliver Protein to Kill Cancer
Many cancers tumors are actually quite easy to kill, if not for our extremely skeptical immune systems. There are proteins, for example, that are quite toxic to some cancers, but they get broken down rapidly as soon as they are injected into the body. Researchers at Penn State University have now created a way of […]
Stretchable, Conductive Hydrogel as a Biomedical Sensor
Researchers at King Abdullah University of Science & Technology in Saudi Arabia have developed an electrically conductive hydrogel that can flex, stretch, and self-heal when cut and reattached. The versatile material has potential in a variety of applications including wound healing patches, wearable electronics, and touch-sensitive robotics. The research team developed the new material by […]
Particles Made of Silk Protect Immune System Boosting Drugs to Fight Cancer
Peptides, or strings of amino acids, are being investigated as a way to help activate the immune system to fight cancer and other diseases. Delivering them into the interior of immune system’s cells is difficult because they’re easily broken apart by the body. Now a team of researchers from Switzerland and Germany have developed a […]
System for 3D Printing Bioengineered Muscles and Tendons
A team of Swiss researchers has developed a microplate system for printing engineered muscle and tendon tissue. The investigators were able to create a microwell plate that allows tissue to adhere to it and the system constantly monitors progress, screens the growth and selects the desired results. The system may end up being used for […]
Thermoresponsive Hydrogel Bandage Conforms to Wound Shape and Stimulates Healing
Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a thermoresponsive hydrogel bandage. The hydrogel is liquid at room temperature, but changes into a semi-solid gel at body temperature when in contact with a wound, meaning it conforms to the wound shape. The gel contains an amino acid sequence that stimulates the body’s own healing process. The researchers […]
Health Technology Briefs from the ITF Demo Floor
Medgadget was recently invited to attend the imec Technology Forum (ITF) conference in Antwerp, Belgium. One of the highlights of the conference was the demo floor where imec, which is a non-profit R&D innovation organization, had the opportunity to show off some cool technologies from their research teams, spinoff companies, and partner organization. While the […]
Tiny Battery-Free Implantable Devices Powered Wirelessly Using Radio Frequency Waves
Scientists at MIT have developed a wireless system that can power tiny implantable devices in the body, without the need for batteries. The system relies on radiofrequency waves emitted by an antenna outside the body, which can then power the implants from as far away as one meter and as deep as 10 cm below […]
Artificial Sensory Nerve Made of Flexible Organic Electronics
Scientists at Stanford and Seoul National University managed to build artificial tactile sensory nerves out of flexible organic electronics. The system is able to detect pressures down to 1 kilopascal and to do so in clusters that mimic the sensitivity of natural skin. Using their device the investigators were able to read Braille as would […]
Imec Develops Organ-On-Chip Device to Improve Drug Candidate Screening
The drug development process is a long road that involves not only many years of research and large piles of money, but also a great deal of pre-clinical and clinical testing. Animals used during in vivo testing are not always good human analogues, and humans of course are always at risk for potentially serious side […]
Proteins Recruited to Build Synthetic Enamel for Dental Applications
Enamel, the exterior layer of teeth that gives us the strength to eat things tougher than mashed potatoes, doesn’t regenerate once lost. That’s why you shouldn’t be using your teeth as scissors or pliars. But researchers at the Queen Mary University of London have now developed a way to make materials that share many remarkable […]
3D Printing Cardiac Components for Pediatric Patients: Interview with Prof. Michael Davis, Georgia Tech
Congenital heart disease is the most common birth defect globally, affecting almost nine in every 1,000 babies. Tissue engineering, which involves combining regenerative cells, proteins, or drugs with biomaterials, is a promising strategy to treat congenital heart diseases. A particularly exciting development is the use of 3D printers to fabricate custom cardiac components to replace […]
3D Printed Artificial Corneas Seeded with Stem Cells to Alleviate Shortage of Donors
At Newcastle University in the UK researchers have managed to print replacement corneas, potentially alleviating the shortage of donor corneas that exists right now. The artificial corneas are made from a combination of alginate, collagen, and a pinch of human stem cells that are made to differentiate into corneal stromal cells. The mix, which has […]
Pressure-Responsive Fibers Could Lead to Color-Changing Bandages
Engineers at MIT have developed photonic fibers that change color in response to pressure. The innovation could lead to color-changing bandages that allow clinicians to easily know if they’re tight enough or too tight. Compression stockings and bandages are a common treatment for venous ulcers. However, it can be difficult to tell if an optimal […]
Pressure-Responsive Fibers Could Lead to Color-Changing Bandages
Engineers at MIT have developed photonic fibers that change color in response to pressure. The innovation could lead to color-changing bandages that allow clinicians to easily know if they’re tight enough or too tight. Compression stockings and bandages are a common treatment for venous ulcers. However, it can be difficult to tell if an optimal […]
Tiny Chemical Factories Inside Body to Produce Drugs On-Demand
Many diseases and conditions can be treated with timely delivery of specific drugs, but it’s often unknown at the time when the drug is needed. Additionally, many drugs are difficult to manufacture in a factory, but some of those can be manufactured easier with the help of the very body needing these medicine. Overcoming these […]
Sensitive Fiber Thread to Introduce Diagnostic Capabilities Into Clothing
At the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) researchers have developed a smart thread capable of sensing tiny changes of pressure and strain that are placed on it. The technology should have implications for the development of new kinds of sensors and for the realization of smart clothing that can detect heart beats, breathing, and […]