Medical
Silicon chip etched with grooves drives cardiac stem cells
Scientists have shown that they can drive cardiac stem cells to become heart muscle cells using a silicon chip etched with grooves.
Health app wins ARM smart product design competition
A new device to help tackle sleep apnea has claimed first prize in the ARM Smart Product Design Competition. The Apnea Observer was designed by developer Clemente di Caprio from Rome, Italy, who has been awarded $5,000 to help advance his prototype. Sleep apnea affects up to a quarter of the general population, according to the British Journal of Anaesthesia, with 90% of sufferers remaining undiagnosed. If left untreated, this chronic sleep condi...
Award for new tumour mapping process
A university researcher has been given a prestigious award for her pioneering work on the production of a computer algorithm to precisely pinpoint the location and size of cancerous tumours in the human body.
Artificial pancreas works for length of entire school term
An artificial pancreas given to children and adults with type 1 diabetes going about their daily lives has been proven to work for 12 weeks, meaning the technology, developed at the University of Cambridge, can now offer a whole school term of extra freedom for children with the condition.
3D-printed microfish deliver drugs & remove toxins
Using an innovative 3D printing technology they previously developed, nanoengineers from UC San Diego have manufactured multipurpose fish-shaped microrobots - called microfish - that swim around efficiently in liquids, are chemically powered by hydrogen peroxide and magnetically controlled. According to the researchers, these proof-of-concept synthetic microfish will inspire a new generation of 'smart' microrobots that have diverse capabilities s...
3D-printed guide helps regrow complex nerves
A national team of researchers has developed a first-of-its-kind, 3D-printed guide that helps regrow both the sensory and motor functions of complex nerves after injury. The groundbreaking research has the potential to help more than 200,000 people annually who experience nerve injuries or disease. Collaborators on the project are from the University of Minnesota, Virginia Tech, University of Maryland, Princeton University and Johns Hopkins Unive...
Artificial intelligence could help cure breast cancer
Western University researchers are working on a way to use artificial intelligence to predict a patient’s response to two common chemotherapy medications used to treat breast cancer, paclitaxel and gemcitabine. Peter Rogan, PhD, and a team of researchers, including Stephanie Dorman, PhD, and Katherina Baranova, BMSc, at Western’s Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, are hoping to one day remove the guesswork from breast cancer...
Ultrasound cleaning shakes off infection risk
Researchers from the University of Southampton have demonstrated how a pioneering ultrasonic device can significantly improve the cleaning of medical instruments and reduce contamination and risk of infection. StarStream, invented and patented by the University of Southampton and in commercial production by Ultrawave Ltd., makes water more efficient for cleaning by creating tiny bubbles which automatically scrub surfaces.
Accelerometer meets FDA Class III implant device standards
STMicroelectronics has introduced the MIS2DH ULP 3-axis accelerometer designed for medical applications, including U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Class III implantable devices. ST has experience in developing custom motion sensors for leading medical manufacturers, and the MIS2DH distills this expertise into a product that can enable functions such as activity monitoring and posture sensing, for a wide range of medical applicat...
Tissue-engineered 'liver' enables fast drug testing
Scientists have developed a new technique that produces a user friendly, low cost, tissue-engineered pseudo-organ, publishing the results in the journal Biofabrication. The chip-based model produces a faithful mimic of the in vivo liver inside a scalable fluid-handling device, demonstrating proof of principle for toxicology tests and opening up potential use in drug testing and personalised medicine.