Medtech
Dutch researchers have used advanced sequencing technology to better understand the heart disease arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, in which heart muscle tissue is replaced by fat cells. Using explanted human hearts, they found regions in which heart muscle was actively degenerated and identified a new gene, ZBTB11, that drives heart muscle cell degradation. The results of the [...]
A novel surface treatment could help improve the safety of medical devices and ease the economic burden on the healthcare system. The new approach, which UCLA-led scientists tested in both laboratory and clinical settings, involves depositing a thin layer of zwitterionic material on the surface of a device. Then permanently binding that layer to the underlying substrate [...]
UK researchers have developed an imaging technique to capture information about the structure and function of brain tissue at sub-cellular level. The unique approach, detailed in Nature Communications on May 25, can assess a few billionths of a metre, while also capturing information about the surrounding environment. The technique overcomes the challenges of imaging tissues at different scales, [...]
A biotech company has announced the completion of the second in a successful series of structural heart navigation animal studies. Cleveland Clinic's Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute evaluated the feasibility of applying Centerline Biomedical's augmented reality image guidance technology to navigate structures in a beating heart. The investigational 4D-GNC (guidance, navigation and control) technology builds [...]
Researchers in Japan have developed a desktop air curtain system (DACS) that blocks all incoming aerosol particles. The mini air curtains may help to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in medical settings when face masks or social distancing are not viable options. “We envisage this system will be effective as an indirect barrier for use [...]
A wireless, bioelectronic dummy could eliminate the need for invasive, twice-daily blood draws to monitor babies’ electrolytes in newborn intensive care units. This smart dummy can also provide more continuous monitoring of sodium and potassium ion levels. These electrolytes help alert caregivers if babies are dehydrated, a danger for infants, especially those born prematurely or [...]
Ovarian cancer kills 14,000 women in the United States every year. It’s the fifth leading cause of cancer death among women, and it’s so deadly, in part, because the disease is hard to catch in its early stages. Patients often do not experience symptoms until the cancer has begun to spread, and there are not [...]
A research team has delivered a new micro-device to streamline the only fertility treatment procedure available for men with low sperm counts. The first-of-its-kind device will allow more IVF clinics to offer Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) as a treatment, while several IVF procedures, such as embryo culture, embryo cryopreservation and in vitro maturation, will also [...]
To save you from trawling the web looking for health tech news, we have compiled bitesized versions of some of the top stories published on other sites this week. Scottish health tech company secures £1.7m for research Glasgow-based medical device specialist Nebuflow has secured an oversubscribed £1.7 million investment round, according to Digit News on May 10. [...]
By Kelly Chua and Tayyaba Karim, Fragomen LLP
