Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) refer to cancer cells that have broken off from a primary tumor. These tumor cells can travel through the blood in the circulatory system and lodge themselves in other organs to cause secondary tumors. Therefore, the detection and subsequent characterization of CTCs from blood can help in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of various cancers. However, the efficient capture of CTCs from blood has been proven to be difficult.

A new swallowable device called PRIM (Pill for ROS-responsive Inflammation Monitoring) could someday make tracking inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)—a chronic condition that causes inflammation in the digestive tract—as simple as checking the color of your stool. Researchers from Mass General Brigham and the University of Toronto designed and tested the device in preclinical models.

Simple technology that harnesses ultraviolet light to zap airborne viruses has been shown to significantly lower the number of respiratory infections in aged care facilities, paving the way for smarter infection control.

An international research team has developed an easy online test capable of detecting toxoplasmosis infection without a blood sample, opening the door for a better understanding of how the common parasite affects human behavior.

Johns Hopkins University researchers have grown a novel whole-brain organoid, complete with neural tissues and rudimentary blood vessels—an advance that could usher in a new era of research into neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism.

Landmark integration of in vitro organ-on-a-chip and computational modeling marks a pivotal advancement in disease simulation, drug testing, and personalized medicine.

https://www.discovermagazine.com/health/how-a-chatty-ancient-protein-in-our-gut-could-be-giving-us-a-sixth-sense

Accurate removal of tumors is the most critical aspect of cancer surgery, yet it remains a significant challenge in clinical practice. In breast cancer, for example, the positive margin rate—where cancer cells remain at the surgical boundary—can reach up to 35%, often requiring reoperation and increasing the risk of recurrence.