Newswise Curated News Channel: National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB)

Microgrippers for Myriad Miniature Biopsies

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 09:55:19 EST

Typical diagnosis of upper urinary tract cancers requires removal of suspicious tissue with forceps, a technically challenging procedure that only samples one region of the organ. NIBIB-funded researchers are developing preclinical microgrippers that could be deployed throughout the upper urinary tract, which could potentially grab tiny pieces of tissue at hundreds of different areas and someday facilitate early detection of disease.

Ultrasound can briefly induce a hibernation-like state in animals

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 15:05:59 EST

Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis have used ultrasound to nudge rodents into an energy-conserving state that mirrors a natural, hibernation-like survival mechanism known as torpor. The technique could help buy precious time for patients in critical care.

Nanozymes drive tumor-specific drug delivery while minimizing toxicity

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering — Wed, 09 Aug 2023 10:35:16 EST

Nanozymes--artificial enzymes that can carry out pre-determined chemical reactions--could selectively activate a cancer drug within a tumor while minimizing damage to healthy tissue in a mouse model of triple negative breast cancer.

How Good Is That AI-Penned Radiology Report?

Harvard Medical School — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 08:55:39 EST

New study identifies concerning gaps between how human radiologists score the accuracy of AI-generated radiology reports and how automated systems score them.

Better training for the brain: FAMU-FSU College of Engineering dean to develop surgical simulator that sparks learning

Florida State University — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 12:50:26 EST

Suvranu De, dean of the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, is building a better simulator -- one that uses brain stimulation to improve learning for physicians undergoing training for robotic surgeries for oral cancers.

RADx Tech Program tackles design of accessible COVID-19 home tests

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 17:05:57 EST

NIH's RADx Tech committed resources in early 2022 for increased accessibility of COVID-19 home tests. The RADx Tech Accessibility Program subsequently invited collaboration from advocacy organizations to contribute to design insights and is a first step that will help manufacturers address the gap in accessible test availability.

Delivering oxygen to tumors may be key in overcoming radiation therapy resistance

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 10:10:24 EST

For most of our tissues and cells, a lack of oxygen, or hypoxia, is bad news. However, cancer cells can thrive in these conditions, rendering tumors less susceptible to anti-cancer treatments including radiation. Now, new research may offer a way to break through cancer's hypoxia-induced defenses.

Wireless wonder: wearable ultrasound patch goes completely cable-free

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 11:00:52 EST

This fully wireless ultrasound patch, which can capture detailed medical information and wirelessly transmit the data to a smart device, could represent a major step forward in at-home health care technology.

Robotic Glove that 'Feels' Lends a 'Hand' to Relearn Playing Piano After a Stroke

Florida Atlantic University — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 00:00:00 EST

A soft robotic glove is lending a "hand" and providing hope to piano players who have suffered a disabling stroke. Combining flexible tactile sensors, soft actuators and AI, this robotic glove is the first to "feel" the difference between correct and incorrect versions of the same song and to combine these features into a single hand exoskeleton. Unlike prior exoskeletons, this new technology provides precise force and guidance in recovering the fine finger movements required for piano playing and other complex tasks.

How the combination of advanced ultrasound and AI could upgrade cancer diagnostics

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 09:20:41 EST

Researchers have shown that an automated cancer diagnostic method, which pairs cutting-edge ultrasound techniques with artificial intelligence, can accurately diagnose thyroid cancer, of which there are more than 40,000 new cases every year.

Discovery of Skin Cell Function Could Open Doors to Improved Burn Healing

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering — Thu, 18 May 2023 15:25:34 EST

Tissue engineering research has shown that a skin cell type could be a new therapeutic target to accelerate the healing of burns and possibly other wounds.

Finger on the pulse of drug delivery

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering — Thu, 18 May 2023 14:15:21 EST

Researchers from Rice University have created drug-filled microparticles that can be engineered to degrade and release their therapeutic cargo days or weeks after administration. By combining multiple microparticles with different degradation times into a single injection, the researchers could develop a drug formulation that delivers many doses over time.

At-home videos to assess musculoskeletal health

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 12:55:42 EST

NIH-funded researchers developed an online tool that can analyze self-collected, at-home videos with a smartphone. When deployed in a nationwide study, the tool could predict physical health and osteoarthritis of the knee or hip.

Can bioengineered bacteria make cancer treatments better?

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering — Mon, 06 Mar 2023 12:45:33 EST

Bioengineers from Columbia University are developing a pipeline to systematically evaluate how bacterial treatments might synergize with existing anti-cancer therapies in preclinical models.

Researchers Unveil New Collection of Human Brain Atlases that Charts the Early Developing Brain in Fine Detail

University of North Carolina Health Care System — Thu, 26 Jan 2023 10:35:56 EST

Human brain atlases can be used by medical professionals to track normative trends over time and to pinpoint crucial aspects of early brain development. By using these atlases, they are able to see what typical structural and functional development looks like, making it easier for them to spot the symptoms of abnormal development, such as attention-deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, and cerebral palsy.

A stretchable, wearable patch for cardiac ultrasound

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 14:30:51 EST

After years of research, an NIH-funded team has developed a wearable cardiac ultrasound imager that can non-invasively capture real-time images of the human heart. The prototype patch, which is about the size of a postage stamp, can be worn during exercise, providing valuable cardiac information when the heart is under stress.

NIH launches Home Test to Treat, a pilot COVID-19 telehealth program

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 15:00:00 EST

NIH, in collaboration with the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response at HHS, has launched the Home Test to Treat program, an entirely virtual community health intervention that will provide free COVID-19 health services--at-home rapid tests, telehealth sessions and at-home treatments--in selected communities.

Injectable, radioactive gel synergizes with chemotherapy to shrink pancreatic tumors

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering — Tue, 20 Dec 2022 12:25:48 EST

NIBIB-funded researchers are developing a new method to treat pancreatic cancer. In their study, they combined an injectable radioactive gel with systemic chemotherapy in multiple mouse models of the disease. The treatment resulted in tumor regression in all evaluated models, an unprecedented result for this genetically diverse and aggressive type of cancer.

Molecules found in mucus could prevent cholera infection

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 16:15:59 EST

MIT researchers have identified molecules found in mucus that can block cholera infection by interfering with the genes that cause the microbe to switch into a harmful state.

Temporary "tattoos" that measure blood pressure

National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 13:20:21 EST

NIBIB-funded researchers are fine-tuning a wearable, cuffless blood pressure monitor. Made of graphene, one of the thinnest materials in the world, the device is worn on the underside of the wrist and can measure blood pressure with comparable accuracy to a standard blood pressure cuff.