Previously unseen research to be revealed and explained

21st November 2018

Joe Bush

0 0

Featuring innovations as diverse as a simple eye drop treatment that cures short-sightedness, a wearable monitor to warn of heart problems before they become critical, and a new drug for hard-to-treat cancers, the latest innovations in biotech, medical treatments and medical devices will be on show at the Future Tech Expo 2018.

The event runs from 13th-15th December 2018 at the Taipei World Trade Center, Hall 3. Future Tech Expo 2018’s main organiser is Taiwan’s Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST).

The Future Tech Expo 2018 aims to bring the public face-to-face with cutting edge research, helping people understand how science can improve their lives. Future Tech 2018 will also salute the work of scientists and researchers, and show Taiwan’s abilities in ground-breaking practical science. Future Tech 2018 will show Taiwan's revolutionary breakthroughs in smart, precision medical technologies.

According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitiveness Report for 2018, in the ‘Innovation ecosystem component’ category, Taiwan ranks number one in Asia and fourth globally for the key competitive attribute of innovation capability (after Germany, the US, and Switzerland).

New ideas: From fixing short-sightedness to curing cancer
At Taiwan’s China Medical University, researchers are working on a revolutionary drug that could offer a simple cure for short-sightedness, without discomfort or side effects – potentially allowing many people to throw away their glasses or contact lenses. The researchers believe they have identified one of the causes of the slight elongation of the eyeball that causes near-sightedness and they have developed a drug to precisely target it. In animal trials, simply administering the new drug in eye drop form was enough to restore normal vision. The team plans to begin human trials in 2019.

The National Health Research Institutes (NHRI) will be showing work on an exciting new cancer-combating drug. In tests, the drug significantly reduced the size of tumours. It appears to be particularly effective against common cancers that are difficult to treat. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved further investigation of the drug in the US.

At Chang Gung University, medical researchers have devised a comfortable, wearable cardiac early warning system for real-time detection of cardiovascular diseases. The system could be used in hospitals, but also at home and in everyday life, alerting patients and careers of the need for attention via mobile networks. Such wearable technologies can assure timely treatment for dangerous heart conditions.