MedTech News
A path to safer painkillers: Using cryo-electron microscopy, scientists visualize how opioids engage key brain receptor
Scientists have known for decades that opioids relieve pain by binding to molecular switches in the brain called mu-opioid receptors. What they didn’t know—until now—was exactly what happens next.
Insights from worms could help scientists harness the power of dietary restriction for longevity
The pursuit of a longer life may currently be trending for tech bros, but the notion of a fountain of youth, or even immortality, has intrigued people for millennia. Yet, some of the more evidence-based methods to increase longevity, such as dieting, are decidedly unpleasant to maintain over time.
MIT engineers develop drug delivery patch for post-heart attack healing
Engineers at MIT say they developed a flexible drug delivery patch for promoting healing and tissue regeneration after heart attacks.
DNA discovery could help identify mothers at risk of pre-eclampsia
The human genome is riddled with relics of viral infections—bits of DNA from viruses that have been inserted in human DNA over millions of years and never left. Most are silent but some have taken on functional roles, particularly in organs that evolve relatively rapidly, including the placenta.
Tool unmasks deep psychological and societal factors for medication nonadherence
A pioneering patient-reported outcome tool, developed by health care company Observia with the support of Kingston University, has shown significant promise in predicting the risk of a patient with chronic conditions not following their treatment plan, while also uncovering the deep psychological and social reasons driving the patient’s decision making.
Scientists create artificial retina phantom to standardize eye disease diagnosis equipment
The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) has developed a retina-mimicking eye phantom that faithfully replicates the structural layers and microvascular network of the human retina. This innovation provides a new reference for objectively evaluating and calibrating ophthalmic imaging devices, paving the way for more accurate and reliable diagnosis of retinal diseases.
CRISPR screen identifies new regulator of androgen receptor in prostate cancer
A poorly characterized protein, historically thought to be a chaperon or enzyme, may actually be a key player in prostate cancer. In a systematic CRISPR screen, scientists from Arc Institute, UCSF, and the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center have identified PTGES3, known as the third prostaglandin E synthase protein, as an unexpected regulator of the androgen receptor.
Imaging technique maps the brain’s nerve fiber labyrinth with micrometer precision
In order to understand brain diseases, neuroscientists try to untangle the intricate nerve fiber labyrinth of our brain. Before analyzing brain tissue under a microscope, it is often soaked in paraffin wax to achieve high-quality sections. However, accurately mapping the densely packed nerves inside wax-treated brain slices was so far not possible.