June 28th, 2023
Researchers at MIT have developed a metal-free electrode using conductive polymers. The electrode is flexible and strong enough for long-term implantation in the body. The device is intended as an advanced replacement for rigid metal electrodes that can cause tissue damage and scarring over the long term, leading to device failure....
May 30th, 2023
Researchers at MIT have developed smart sutures with a hydrogel coating that contains sensing and drug delivery components, and could even be used to implant therapeutic cells. The sutures are made using pig tissues that have been decellularized with detergents to reduce the possibility that they could provoke an immune reaction....
May 22nd, 2023
Researchers at MIT have developed a method that allows them to analyze the three dimensional interactions of sections of the genome in unprecedented detail. The technique could let scientists investigate the origin and progression of genetic diseases, as well as identifying new therapeutic targets for them. The new approach, called...
May 10th, 2023
Researchers at MIT have developed an 'electroceutical' capsule that is designed to be swallowed and which will deliver a small electrical current to the stomach wall. The device contains an external electrode that wraps around its exterior and small grooves that draw liquid away from the electrode and help it to contact the stomach...
May 9th, 2023
Researchers at MIT have developed a urine test that can distinguish between different types of cancer, and could even highlight if metastases are present. The test involves first administering nanoparticles to patients that can circulate around their blood before encountering a tumor. Enzymes that are overexpressed by the tumor can...
May 3rd, 2023
Researchers at MIT have developed a printer that can create large numbers of microneedle patch-style vaccines in places where they are needed quickly. Moreover, the printed patches can deliver thermostable mRNA vaccines, whereby the mRNA therapeutic is encapsulated in lipid nanoparticles before printing to enhance its shelf-life at...
May 3rd, 2023
Researchers at MIT have developed a nanoparticle system that is designed to deliver immunostimulatory drugs to tumors. These drugs are intended to stimulate immune cells in the vicinity of tumors to begin destroying tumor cells, but when delivered systemically they cause unacceptable dose limiting side-effects such as systemic...
April 18th, 2023
Researchers at MIT have developed lipid nanoparticles that are highly efficient at delivering mRNA therapies to lung cells. Getting therapeutic agents into the lungs can be challenging, but there are a variety of medical challenges that could be addressed by efficiently targeting lung cells with nanoparticle technologies. These...
March 1st, 2023
Researchers at MIT have developed soft robotic heart replicas that closely match the anatomy of real people. The researchers used medical images of patient hearts to construct computer models that are suitable for 3D printing. Once printed with a soft material, the patient-specific heart models can be actuated using external...
February 16th, 2023
Researchers at MIT have developed an ingestible sensor that can reveal gastrointestinal motility issues, such as gastroparesis and gastroesophageal reflux disease. The technology is intended for use as an easy at-home method to diagnose such issues, which typically require more invasive and inconvenient procedures, such as endoscopy...
November 11th, 2022
Engineers at MIT have developed a system that could let users of robotic prostheses to more sensitively control their bionic limbs. The technology involves implanting pairs of small magnetic beads into muscles. When the muscles contract, the beads move closer together, allowing prosthetic devices to more precisely calculate a...