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CRISPR-Equipped Bacteria Detect Tumors

September 7th, 2023 by Conn Hastings

Oncology

Researchers at the University of California San Diego have created a bacterial sentinel system that can alert clinicians to the presence of tumors. The technology takes advantage of the specificity of the CRISPR system and the tendency of bacteria to uptake fragments of DNA from their environment. Termed "Cellular Assay for Targeted CRISPR-discriminated Horizontal gene transfer" (CATCH), the system has been created to detect gastrointestinal tumors in its first iteration. This involves administering the CRISPR-enabled bacteria to the gut. The bacteria have been engineered to respond to DNA fragments that...Read More

Device for Rapid COVID-19 Breath Testing

September 7th, 2023 by Conn Hastings

Public Health

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine have developed a COVID-19 breathalyzer test. The technology requires someone to breathe into it just once or twice, and it can then provide an indication if the person is infected with SARS-CoV-2 in as little as one minute. The device could be very useful fo screening large numbers of people prior to access to an indoor event, for instance, or in community clinics to quickly determine if people are infected. Moreover, the technology could be adapted to detect other viruses, which may be...Read More

Peptoid Oligomers Target Viral Membranes

August 30th, 2023 by Conn Hastings

Medicine

Researchers at New York University have developed a new method to target many viruses that cause disease. For viruses with a lipid membrane, which includes many that commonly cause disease, this new technique could prove to be fatal. By targeting the lipid membrane, the approach may circumvent the treatment resistance that arises when viruses mutate to alter their surface proteins, which are the most common targets for conventional anti-viral drugs. This new approach is based on a synthetic version of antimicrobial peptides, which are naturally produced by our immune system...Read More

UV-Free Air Decontamination: Interview with Sorel Rothschild, VP at Quantum Innovations

August 25th, 2023 by Conn Hastings

Exclusive

LumaFlo, a medtech company based in Israel, has developed a decontamination technology that does not require UV light, something that can be dangerous for people nearby. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for safe and effective decontamination technologies for both public spaces and healthcare facilities. However, many such technologies rely on UV light to kill pathogens, but this can also have negative effects on those exposed. In an effort to create a safer and more effective alternative, LumaFlo has developed a carbon nanostructure based photocatalytic system that is activated through...Read More

mRNA Immunotherapy Targets Cancer

August 25th, 2023 by Conn Hastings

Genetics

Researchers at the Mount Sinai Hospital have developed an mRNA-based treatment for cancer. The approach combines the delivery of mRNA therapy in lipid nanoparticles and also involves co-delivering dendritic cells that have also been primed through treatment with lipid-encased mRNA. The technology aims to overcome some of the immune evasive tricks that tumors use to circumvent the immune system, some of which can hamper more traditional immunotherapies. In contrast, this treatment, which the researchers have called CATCH, aims to progress the cancer immunity cycle by modulating the tumor microenvironment to...Read More

Gene Therapy Targets Chronic Pain

August 25th, 2023 by Conn Hastings

Pain Management

Scientists at New York University have developed a gene therapy for chronic pain. The technology works by targeting the NaV1.7 sodium ion channel present on neurons, which is an important component of the pain response. The researchers encoded a version of a peptide that allows a modulatory protein, called CRMP2, to bind to NaV1.7 sodium ion channels and modulate their activity. Treating neurons so that they now express this peptide interfered with the ability of CRMP2 to affect the sodium channel, reducing the transmission of pain. As chronic pain affects...Read More

Ultrasound-Equipped Bra Monitors for Breast Cancer

August 22nd, 2023 by Conn Hastings

Radiology

Researchers at MIT have developed a wearable ultrasound system that is intended to allow women at high risk of breast cancer to perform an ultrasound scan on themselves at home, and may also let patients with early-stage malignancy or suspicious lesions to monitor how they are progressing. The technology can help patients to avoid having to attend a clinic, and may also help them to identify tumors that arise between routine breast checks at a clinic. The system consists of a piezoelectric ultrasound scanning module that fits into a rig...Read More

Drug Delivery System for Ectopic Pregnancy

August 22nd, 2023 by Conn Hastings

Ob/Gyn

Researchers at Oregon State University have developed a drug delivery system that is intended to treat ectopic pregnancy. Often occurring in the fallopian tubes, ectopic pregnancies are non-viable and are the leading cause of maternal death in the first trimester. A drug called methotrexate can be administered to end the pregnancy, but can cause serious side-effects at the concentrations required. These researchers designed a nanoparticle delivery vehicle for methotrexate that can release its drug payload near where it is needed by responding to glutathione, a tripeptide that is present in...Read More

3D Printed Heart Muscle Beats

August 22nd, 2023 by Conn Hastings

Cardiac Surgery

Researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have developed a technique that allows them to 3D print a heart ventricle, that can then go on to beat rhythmically. The technology could allow researchers to create heart models to test new cardiac drugs and may even pave the way for fully implantable cardiac components. The method involves using rotary spinning to create small fibers that are then infused into a printable hydrogel ink. When 3D printed, this ink retains its printed structure, and cardiomyocytes within...Read More

Magnetic Tentacle Robots for Minimally Invasive Procedures

August 21st, 2023 by Conn Hastings

Surgery

Researchers at the University of Leeds in the UK have developed a magnetic tentacle robot that is intended for use in minimally invasive medical procedures, such as the treatment of tumors in the lungs. The soft tentacles are made from silicone. They are unlikely to cause tissue damage, and contain a series of magnets that can be influenced by external magnetic robots. The researchers hope that the technology will pave the way for minimally invasive procedures for lung cancer patients. In tests so far, the soft tentacles, which are just...Read More

Portable and Radiation-Free Imaging with Magnetic Nanoparticles

August 9th, 2023 by Conn Hastings

Radiology

Researchers at the University of Würzburg in Germany have developed a portable scanner that is the first to be able to image humans using Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI). The technology could provide a radiation-free alternative to techniques such as X-ray fluoroscopy and digital subtraction angiography for minimally invasive endovascular procedures, and is well suited for viewing processes such as blood flow. Previous inceptions of MPI technology were too large and expensive and were primarily designed for use in experimental animals. This is the first version of the technology that is...Read More

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