Bioengineering News and Research

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New 3D micro-scaffold technology promotes reprogramming of stem cells into neurons

National Institutes of Health-funded scientists have developed a 3D micro-scaffold technology that promotes reprogramming of stem cells into neurons, and supports growth of neuronal connections capable of transmitting electrical signals.

18 Mar 2016

New study reveals why certain cancer drugs not always effective in halting tumor growth

New cancer drugs allow doctors to tailor treatment based on the genetic profile of a patient's tumor. However, these drugs don't work at all in some patients, and they lose their effectiveness in others.

17 Mar 2016

New microfluidic biosensor can identify white blood cells quickly for AIDS diagnosis

Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign have developed a highly sensitive biosensor based on a differential immuno-capture technology that can detect sub-populations of white blood cells. As part of a small, disposable biochip, the microfluidic biosensor can count CD4+/CD8+ T cells quickly and accurately for AIDS diagnosis in the field.

14 Mar 2016

NIH-funded investigators develop therapeutic compound effective against malaria

An international team that includes NIH-funded researchers at Stanford University has developed a therapeutic compound that is effective in inhibiting Plasmodium falciparum, one of five species of parasite that infects people with malaria, and the strain which causes the highest number of malaria deaths.

13 Mar 2016

Single-step, rapid life-saving solution for pneumothorax treatment

Pneumothorax is a medical emergency: the collection of air in the pleural space separating the lung from the chest wall, causing it to collapse and resulting in suffocation. Pneumothorax is caused by chest trauma, and is believed to be responsible for over a third of preventable deaths on the battlefield and in terror attacks.

10 Mar 2016

CWRU researcher to customize tobacco mosaic virus to treat human cancers

A Case Western Reserve University researcher has been awarded more than $3 million in federal and foundation grants to turn common plant viruses into cancer sleuths and search-and-destroy emissaries.

10 Mar 2016

UC San Diego physicians develop potential new therapy for critical limb ischemia

Bioengineers and physicians at the University of California, San Diego have developed a potential new therapy for critical limb ischemia, a condition that causes extremely poor circulation in the limbs and leads to an estimated 230,000 amputations every year in North America and Europe alone to prevent the spread of infection and tissue death.

9 Mar 2016

Scientists reveal underlying mechanism for formation and growth of epithelial tubes

A team of scientists from Singapore and France has revealed the underlying mechanism for the formation and growth of a fundamental type of tissue - epithelial tubes. Defects in the architecture of epithelial tubes lead to diseases such as cholestasis, atherosclerosis and polycystic kidney disease.

25 Feb 2016

ONR researcher explores how explosive shock waves contribute to traumatic brain injury

Today's warfighters are outfitted with body armor strong enough to withstand shrapnel from a bomb or other explosive device. One debilitating threat from a blast, however, is a force they can't see--the explosive shock wave itself.

24 Feb 2016

UCLA researchers pioneer more effective approach to improve cancer treatment

Despite a growing interest in developing non-invasive methods to identify rare cancer cells or cancer cell DNA in blood, current techniques remain complicated and often prohibitively expensive. Now, UCLA researchers have pioneered a more effective approach to these "liquid biopsies" that has the potential to offer a streamlined and low-cost solution for people with the disease.

23 Feb 2016

New research reveals underlying biomechanics involved in meniscus fibrocartilage function

Knee injuries are among the top five reasons people visit an orthopedic surgeon for treatments, which include 719,000 total knee replacements performed annually in the United States. Now, new research reveals underlying biomechanics that may be involved in meniscus fibrocartilage function as well as dysfunction and could guide novel treatments for some of the most debilitating and costly orthopedic problems in the U.S., including meniscus tears and age-related joint degeneration.

22 Feb 2016

Scientists find that lifespan of supportive cells in tumor may control cancer metastasis

Researchers have discovered that eliminating cells thought to aid tumor growth did not slow or halt the growth of cancer tumors. In fact, when the cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), were eliminated after 10 days, the risk of metastasis of the primary tumor to the lungs and bones of mice increased dramatically.

22 Feb 2016

Small peptide TAxI holds promise for carrying biologic drugs into spinal cord

A small peptide dubbed TAxI is living up to its name. Recent studies show it to be an effective vehicle for shuttling functional proteins, such as active enzymes, into the spinal cord after a muscle injection.

17 Feb 2016

New study could help explain critical shortcomings in stem cell-driven therapies for heart disease

With every heart attack, billions of cardiomyocytes, the contracting heart muscle cells that make the heart pump time after time over a lifetime, are lost which can lead to heart failure or injury. Stem cell-based replacement strategies could open new and much needed therapeutic avenues.

17 Feb 2016

Penn researchers use network science to gain new insights into torn ligament

When doctors diagnose a torn ligament, it's usually because they can see ruptures in the ligament's collagen fibers, visible on a variety of different scans. However, they also often treat patients with many of the symptoms of a tear, but whose ligaments don't show this kind of damage.

17 Feb 2016

Nine researchers win EPSRC Healthcare Technologies Challenge Awards

Nine researchers, working on innovative projects that promise to improve healthcare diagnosis and treatment, across a wide spread of issues, were today announced as the first recipients of the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council's (EPSRC) Healthcare Technologies Challenge Awards.

15 Feb 2016

Ultrasound-activated microbubbles help preserve healthy heart tissue

Researchers funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering used ultrasound-activated microbubbles to improve preservation of heart muscle and function in a pig heart attack model.

12 Feb 2016

UC San Diego School of Medicine launches new NAFLD Research Center

Roughly one-quarter of all Americans - an estimated 100 million adults and children - have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a chronic condition that can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure.

9 Feb 2016

Researchers develop new sensor for continuous monitoring of blood flow in vascular diseases patients

Frequent measurement of blood flow changes could improve the ability of health care providers to diagnose and treat patients with vascular conditions, such as those associated with diabetes and high blood pressure.

30 Jan 2016

New computational techniques could help researchers pinpoint anatomical source of seizures

For the third of all epilepsy patients who don't respond to medication, an alternative is to locate the small cluster of neurons that act as the seed of a seizure's aberrant electrical activity and surgically remove it. Unfortunately, such surgeries often fail to bring any relief. The ability to reliably pinpoint the anatomical source of seizures, different for each patient, remains elusive.

29 Jan 2016

Bioengineering News and Research

New 3D micro-scaffold technology promotes reprogramming of stem cells into neurons

New study reveals why certain cancer drugs not always effective in halting tumor growth

New microfluidic biosensor can identify white blood cells quickly for AIDS diagnosis

NIH-funded investigators develop therapeutic compound effective against malaria

Single-step, rapid life-saving solution for pneumothorax treatment

CWRU researcher to customize tobacco mosaic virus to treat human cancers

UC San Diego physicians develop potential new therapy for critical limb ischemia

Scientists reveal underlying mechanism for formation and growth of epithelial tubes

ONR researcher explores how explosive shock waves contribute to traumatic brain injury

UCLA researchers pioneer more effective approach to improve cancer treatment

New research reveals underlying biomechanics involved in meniscus fibrocartilage function

Scientists find that lifespan of supportive cells in tumor may control cancer metastasis

Small peptide TAxI holds promise for carrying biologic drugs into spinal cord

New study could help explain critical shortcomings in stem cell-driven therapies for heart disease

Penn researchers use network science to gain new insights into torn ligament

Nine researchers win EPSRC Healthcare Technologies Challenge Awards

Ultrasound-activated microbubbles help preserve healthy heart tissue

UC San Diego School of Medicine launches new NAFLD Research Center

Researchers develop new sensor for continuous monitoring of blood flow in vascular diseases patients

New computational techniques could help researchers pinpoint anatomical source of seizures

Biotechnology eBook

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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