Medical
Conductive mesh for implantable and wearable bioelectronics
A research team at the Center for Nanoparticle Research, within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS), has succeeded in developing a wearable and implantable device, that measures electrophysiological signals and applies electrical and thermal stimulations. It provides information on muscle and cardiac dysfunctions, and thus could be implemented for pain relief, rehabilitation, and prosthetic motor control.
Feeling as if a prosthetic limb belonged to one's body
Amputees still feel their missing limb, even if it is physically gone, and this ghost limb aka phantom limb is perceived as much smaller that the lost limb. Next, the commercially available prosthetic limb does not yet provide sensory feedback other than what the patient sees, meaning that the patient has no sense of touch from the prosthetic limb and must constantly watch it for correct use.
Researching the physical properties of giant cancer cells
Polyploidal cancer cells—cells that have more than two copies of each chromosome—are much larger than most other cancer cells, are resistant to chemotherapy and radiation treatments and are associated with disease relapse. A new study by Brown University researchers is the first to reveal key physical properties of these 'giant' cancer cells.
Solution for better asthma and COPD management launched in the US
Adherium has officially launched the Hailie solution in the U.S., following its recent FDA 510(k) over-the-counter clearance to enable sales direct to consumers. The Hailie solution helps patients with asthma and COPD access better care through a seamless digital experience that includes a smartphone app, available on both iOS and Android, and a sensor that attaches to patient’s prescription inhaler medication.
3D-printed device could help treat spinal cord injuries
Engineers and medical researchers at the University of Minnesota have teamed up to create a groundbreaking 3D-printed device that could someday help patients with long-term spinal cord injuries regain some function. A 3D-printed guide, made of silicone, serves as a platform for specialised cells that are then 3D printed on top of it. The guide would be surgically implanted into the injured area of the spinal cord where it would serve as a ty...
Elekta Unity: a ground-breaking cancer treatment technology
The manufacturing and product development division of Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) provider Chemigraphic was part of a year-long process in supporting Elekta, with bringing their newest cancer treatment system to market. Elekta Unity received CE mark in June and is the first of its kind, a high-field MRI-guided linear accelerator (linac) system that enables magnetic resonance radiation therapy (MR/RT), a new approach to cancer treatme...
AI model could help make cancer treatment less toxic
MIT researchers are employing novel machine-learning techniques to improve the quality of life for patients by reducing toxic chemotherapy and radiotherapy dosing for glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer. Glioblastoma is a malignant tumour that appears in the brain or spinal cord, and prognosis for adults is no more than five years. Patients must endure a combination of radiation therapy and multiple drugs taken every month...
Microfluidic model of dynamics of tumour-immune interactions
Recent successes with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), such as anti-PD-1 antibodies, continue to fuel interest in immuno-oncology (I-O), one of the most competitive and fastest-growing areas of pharmaceutical R&D. Immuno-oncology therapies utilise the body’s immune system in new ways to treat cancer, and the global market for I-O therapies is expected to exceed $45bn by 2025. Researchers aiming to advance the science, however, are c...
A targeted approach to treating glioma
Glioma is normally treated by removing as much of the tumour as possible, followed by radiation or chemotherapy. With this treatment, patients survive an average of about 10 years, but the tumours inevitably grow back. A team of researchers from MIT, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Massachusetts General Hospital hopes to extend patients’ lifespan by delivering directly to the brain a drug that targets a mutation ...
How 3D printers could improve access to technology
3D printers can make just about anything these days, from a pair of running shoes to chocolate, wood, and aircraft parts. And it turns out — even complex scientific gadgets used in cancer research. Cost-efficient tools are essential in life sciences research to understand how cancer cells migrate from one place to another during metastasis, to probe how neurons connect in networks during human development, and to watch how white blood cells...