MedTech News
.................... by Andrew Celentano
Patient-specific ‘blood–brain tumor barrier chip’ predicts how glioblastoma patients will respond to treatment
During cancer treatment, the same brain tumor can be treated with the same anticancer drug, but the effect can differ from patient to patient. A Korean research team has developed a chip that recreates a patient’s own tumor cells together with the surrounding peritumoral vascular environment, making it possible to predict patient-specific treatment responses in advance.
AI reveals distinct cell defects inside breast cancer
Researchers at the University of Southampton have developed a powerful AI tool that reveals previously invisible patterns inside breast cancers. It uncovers how tiny cellular structures called centrosomes change as tumors grow, spread and evolve. The technology could help clinicians identify high-risk patients, predict how breast cancer might progress and deliver more targeted treatments.
New stem cell treatment improves vision for previously untreatable condition
A new stem cell treatment for ARK (aniridia-related keratopathy) improved patients’ vision in a first-in-human clinical trial for this previously untreatable rare genetic eye condition at Moorfields Eye Hospital and University College London (UCL), published in JAMA Ophthalmology.
3D-printed membrane increases oxygen transfer in artificial lungs by up to 88%
For people with severe lung diseases, a transplant of a healthy organ is often their only chance of survival. However, donor lungs are in short supply. A new artificial lung could provide a solution.
Smart delivery systems could make noninvasive nasal routes to the brain possible
A protective layer that is extremely picky about not letting harmful substances in can sometimes also keep useful things from entering the very space it is meant to protect. The body’s blood-brain barrier (BBB) is one such case. Designed to keep harmful toxins and pathogens in the bloodstream from making their way into the brain while still allowing essential nutrients to pass through, the BBB has become a formidable foe for drugs that need to be delivered to the brain.
Experimental drug shows promise in reversing high blood pressure’s toll on kidneys and heart in mice
High blood pressure affects nearly 1 in 8 people worldwide, and its impact goes far beyond a number on a blood pressure monitor. It can quietly damage the heart, kidneys and brain, making it one of the world’s biggest preventable health threats.
Overlooked Foodborne Parasites Caused an Estimated 171 Million Illnesses Worldwide in a Single Year
Parasites that contaminate food pose a major threat around the world, disproportionately affecting low- and middle-income countries.
Tackling rare genetic disorders with patient-focused science
Shannon Knight, a brain and cognitive sciences PhD candidate and McGovern Institute researcher, focuses on developing a novel gene therapy.