Researchers from ITMO University in St. Petersburg, Russia have developed magnetic nanoparticles to control internal bleeding, which can be localized at a bleeding site in the body using external magnetic fields. Internal bleeding is a medical emergency, and researchers are working to develop more effective therapies that are targeted at the bleeding site and that […]
Tag: Materials
Nanotechnology for Biological Sample Preservation Without Refrigeration
Scientists at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a method to preserve protein biomarkers in clinical samples, without the need for refrigeration. The technique relies on growing molecules called metal-organic frameworks around the proteins in the sample, potentially enabling clinicians in remote and low-resource settings to send patient samples long distances for analysis, using […]
3D Jet Writing Creates Highly Porous Polymer Microtissue for Drug Screening
Researchers at Purdue University and University of Michigan have developed a device they call a 3D jet writer, which can print high-resolution polymer microtissues on a small scale, with appropriate pore sizes to allow cancer cell infiltration. The researchers hope that the printed tissues will allow them to study cancer metastasis and conduct drug screens […]
Carbon Nanotubes Spun Into Yarn Work to Stimulate Neurons Inside Brain
An amazing possibility for the field of neurology is being able to read signals from and stimulate individual nerves in living animals and humans, and for long periods of time. Studies about the brain could be phenomenally productive using such technology and therapies for all kinds of condition would be forthcoming. But current tungsten-based hard needles […]
Liquid-Powered Bioprinting of Tissues at Any Scale
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London, University of Oxford, and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, have developed an unusual way to print complex biological structures with multiple ingredients that can harness further tissue growth. The 3D structures that are created are made of modular components that can be brought together in specific concentrations and locations. The […]
Nanoparticle Material Melts Away to Reveal Drug Cargo
At the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, researchers have developed a new set of materials designed to deliver drugs inside the body and melt away when illuminated with light. The materials are made of a polymer seeded with nano-sized gold shell nanoparticles. When light from a near-infrared (NIR) laser is applied to the material, it melts and […]
Highly Compliant, Ultra Sensitive Electronic Skin to Give Prostheses a Sense of Touch
Scientists at Stanford University have created a way to produce thin, stretchable electronic circuits that feature incredibly sensitive pressure sensors. These electronics can one day be wrapped around prosthetic hands to provide a sense of touch or to create wearable electronics for long term body sensing, among many other possible applications. The team’s devices are […]
Injectable Hydrogel Responds to Tumors to Release Chemo and Immunotherapies
Scientists at the University of North Carolina and North Carolina State University have developed an injectable polymer hydrogel that breaks down in response to reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by tumor cells. During its controlled degradation, the hydrogel releases a chemotherapeutic drug and an immunotherapy to kill surrounding tumor cells. Cancer immunotherapies have shown significant […]
Brain Organoids Show Formation of Brain Wrinkles
Our regular readers might have noted that the development of organ-on-a-chip devices has become a popular research trend. Tiny living parts of real human organs can be sustained for long periods of time inside of specially designed chambers that feed the organoids and provide researchers a window to examine them under a microscope. All sorts […]
Placenta-on-a-Chip to Screen for Drug Safety During Pregnancy
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed a microfluidic chip that mimics the placental barrier. Their device paves the way for drug screening to determine which drugs can cross the placental barrier, allowing researchers to assess drug safety for pregnant women. Pharmacological treatment for pregnant women can be risky, as some drugs can cross […]
On-Skin Flexible Screen for Displaying Live Health Information
Scientists at the University of Tokyo have developed an elastic display that can be affixed to the skin to display the waveform of an electrocardiogram, or other health parameters, detected by a skin sensor. When combined with a communication module, the system can transmit the data to a smartphone and the cloud, allowing doctors to […]
Upconversion Nanoparticles Deliver Light Deep Into Brain to Power Optogenetic Therapies
Optogenetics is a powerful method developed over the past few years that lets scientists use light to activate specific genetically modified neurons within the brain. This technology still has a lot of time left in the lab before it can help to address human diseases, but that reality may be a bit closer thanks to […]
Power Source Inspired by Electric Eels to Energize Medical Implants
Today’s batteries are full of limitations that make it a challenge to use them inside the body to power medical devices. They are rigid and are typically made of toxic materials, are difficult to recharge once implanted, and have a lifetime that requires replacement. Researchers at the University of Fribourg, University of Michigan, and University of […]
Intestine on a Chip Technique Opens Door to Personalized Medicine
Researchers at the Harvard Wyss Institute have developed a way to effectively culture donor intestinal cells in an organ-on-a-chip device. The technique opens the door to developing personalized medicines for intestinal conditions. Compared with traditional cell culture techniques, organ-on-a-chip microfluidic devices allow researchers to study physiological processes rapidly, conveniently, and inexpensively. Researchers at the Harvard […]
Paper Towels Seeded with Carbon Nanotubes Work as Disposable Sensors
Cheap, high-quality specialized sensors can be difficult to create for a number of reasons, because of a reliance on expensive materials, complicated functionality, or inherent reliability issues. Researchers at University of Washington have been working on developing mechanical movement sensors that are so cheap that they can be thrown away after every use. The main structural […]
Injection Assembles into Nanocarrier Implant for Long-Term Delivery of Nanomedicines
A good deal of the field of nanomedicine is focused on delivering drugs to specific sites within the body, such as specific organs or cancer tumors. While many nanomedicines have well developed targeting mechanisms, they often are best delivered a small amount at a time. Yet, continuous slow-release of nanomedicines has typically required the use […]
New Probes from Johns Hopkins Provide Closeup View of Internal Tissues Like Never Before
A biopsy is often the only way to accurately identify the presence of a tumor, but there are a number of serious possible downsides to taking tissue samples from inside the body. A better way would be to analyze the tissue in situ, essentially miniaturizing a microscope and using it in the body’s interior. Researchers […]
Electronic Skin Heals Thyself While Measuring Pressure, Temperature, Humidity
Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder have developed an “electronic skin” that is able to heal itself when damaged, and when no longer needed it can be fully recycled. E-skins can provide new capabilities in the form of medical and athletic devices, as well as mimic tactile and other sensing within advanced prostheses. The […]
Fiber Optics with Embedded Sensors Dissolve After Monitoring Body from Inside
Placing sensors inside the body can allow researchers and clinicians to understand and treat a variety of medical conditions. But, while implanting a sensing device can be easy, having it stay in the body long enough to perform its task and then to be safely removed is a substantial challenge. Now a collaboration between researchers […]
Flexible, Breathable Electronic Tattoo Measures Vital Signs
A team of Japanese scientists has developed a way of creating breathable on-skin electronics that can stretch while continuing to function and that don’t cause any inflammation on the skin. These tattoo-like electronics have now been worn by volunteers for up to a week, with them reporting that they don’t even feel the presence of […]