In honor of International Women’s Day, we’re featuring Rebecca Richards-Kortum, Ph.D., a professor of bioengineering at Rice University who has been solving women’s health challenges globally for the past two decades.
Tag: Biomedical Engineering
This Injectable Hydrogel Mitigates Damage to the Right Ventricle of the Heart
An injectable hydrogel can mitigate damage to the right ventricle of the heart with chronic pressure overload, according to a new study published March 6 in Journals of the American College of Cardiology: Basic to Translational Science. The study, by a research team from the University of California San Diego, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, was conducted in rodents.
Five Cutting-edge Advances in Biomedical Engineering and Their Applications in Medicine
Bridging precision engineering and precision medicine to create personalized physiology avatars. Pursuing on-demand tissue and organ engineering for human health. Revolutionizing neuroscience by using AI to engineer advanced brain interface systems. Engineering the immune system for health and wellness. Designing and engineering genomes for organism repurposing and genomic perturbations.
UT Southwestern collaborates with Pfizer to develop improved RNA delivery technologies
UT Southwestern Medical Center is partnering with Pfizer Inc. to develop RNA-enhanced delivery technologies for genetic medicine therapies through the Dallas-based medical center’s Program in Genetic Drug Engineering.
Students embrace new major’s combination of medical, engineering studies
Iowa State’s new major in biomedical engineering quickly attracted 50 students, who are now learning the basics of the medical and engineering worlds. The new program is designed, in part, to meet the interests of students and employers while increasing the synergy between Iowa State’s research strengths and academic programs.
Device keeps brain alive, functioning separate from body
Researchers led by a team at UT Southwestern Medical Center have developed a device that can isolate blood flow to the brain, keeping the organ alive and functioning independent from the rest of the body for several hours.
Powder engineering adds AI to the mix
Imagine a world without powders. It may sound exaggerated, but our daily lives are intricately connected to powders in various ways from foods, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics to batteries, ceramics, etc
These Screen-printed, Flexible Sensors Allow Earbuds to Record Brain Activity and Exercise Levels
Earbuds can be turned into a tool to record the electrical activity of the brain and levels of lactate in the body with two flexible sensors screen-printed onto a flexible surface.
Virtual drug quiets noise in heart tissue images
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a new computational approach to removing movement in images of expanding and contracting heart cells and tissues. By computationally removing movement, the algorithm mimics a drug’s action in stopping the heart, without compromising cellular structure or tissue contractility.
Ultrasound can briefly induce a hibernation-like state in animals
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.
Scientists discover unusual ultrafast motion in layered magnetic materials
A team of researchers report a mechanical response across a layered magnetic material tied to changing its electron spin. This response could have important applications in nanodevices requiring ultra-precise and fast motion control.
NIH funds study of ultrasound with genetics to treat brain disorders
Researchers have developed methods to study and manipulate areas of the brain, though many of those methods are restricted by the limited depth that light can reach within the brain. A multidisciplinary team at Washington University in St. Louis plans to overcome that limitation by integrating ultrasound with genetics to precisely modify neurons in the brain.
Why does skin get ’leathery’ after too much sun? Bioengineers examine cellular breakdown
A study from Binghamton University, State University of New York researchers explores how ultraviolet radiation can alter the microstructure of human skin. Particularly affected is collagen, the fibrous protein that binds together tissue, tendon, cartilage and bone throughout our bodies.
Scientists use Argonne supercomputer to detail HIV protein mechanism crucial for drug development
Researchers from the University of Illinois Chicago used the Theta supercomputer at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility to run simulations on and determine the molecular mechanisms behind the ways that new HIV antivirals could work.
Binghamton University and six HBCUs forge New Educational and Research Alliance
In collaboration with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Binghamton University, State University of New York has announced a New Educational and Research Alliance (New ERA) with six historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs): Alabama A&M University, Central State University, Tuskegee University, Prairie-View A&M University, the University of the District of Columbia and Virginia State University.
A New Strategy to Break Through Bacterial Barriers in Chronic Treatment-Resistant Wounds
Researchers in UNC’s School of Medicine’s department of Microbiology and Immunology and the UNC-NC State Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering have developed a new strategy to improve drug-delivery into chronic wounds infections.
Cancer cells penetrate deep into their environment
New research from the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis has found that cancer cells can sense a layer of cells beneath the top collagen layer on which they normally travel, while normal cells cannot.
Low concentration CO2 can be reused in biodegradable plastic precursor using artificial photosynthesis
Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate—a biodegradable plastic—is a strong water-resistant polyester often used in packaging materials, made from 3-hydroxybutyrate as a precursor.
How to prevent concussions in football? Better helmets
Football helmets made by four leading manufacturers showed vulnerabilities in tests designed to better understand player concussions, according to a new study.
CDC-UNC Collaboration Yields Potential Long-term HIV Protection
Since 2017, the lab of Rahima Benhabbour, PhD, MSc, associate professor in the UNC/NCSU Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, has been working with a research team at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and others at UNC to develop an injectable implant that can release HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medications into the body for a long period of time.
Their latest research, published in Nature Communications, shows that the team’s latest formulation can provide up to six months of full protection.
How to make hydrogels more injectable
Gel-like materials that can be injected into the body hold great potential to heal injured tissues or manufacture entirely new tissues.
This Groundbreaking Biomaterial Heals Tissues From the Inside Out
A new biomaterial that can be injected intravenously, reduces inflammation in tissue and promotes cell and tissue repair. The biomaterial was tested and proven effective in treating tissue damage caused by heart attacks in both rodent and large animal models. Researchers also provided proof of concept in a rodent model that the biomaterial could be beneficial to patients with traumatic brain injury and pulmonary arterial hypertension.
A design of experiments approach to precision vaccine adjuvants
Adjuvants are added to vaccines to improve protection, extend the duration of protection and reduce the dose or number of boosters required.
Vertical electrochemical transistor pushes wearable electronics forward
A transdisciplinary Northwestern University research team has developed a revolutionary transistor that is expected be ideal for lightweight, flexible, high-performance bioelectronics.
New Bacterial Therapy Approach to Treat Lung Cancer
Columbia Engineering researchers report that they have developed a new experimental pipeline to combine bacterial therapy with current cancer drugs. Their study, which explores resistance to bacterial therapy at the molecular level, has achieved better treatment efficacy without additional toxicity in laboratory models.
Small glowing protein allows researchers to peer deeper into living tissues
Biomedical and genetic engineers at Duke University and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine have designed a small fluorescent protein that emits and absorbs light that penetrates deep into biological tissue.
Positively Charged Nanomaterials Treat Obesity Anywhere You Want
Columbia researchers invent new method to treat obesity by using cationic nanomaterials that can target specific areas of fat and inhibit the unhealthy storage of enlarged fat cells. “Our studies highlight an unexpected strategy to treat visceral adiposity and suggest a new direction of exploring cationic nanomaterials for treating metabolic diseases,” said Columbia Engineering’s Biomedical Engineering Prof Kam Leong, a pioneer in using polycation to scavenge pathogens.
Technology that simulates complex molecular interactions could lead to better treatments for diseases like cancer and COVID-19
A team led by University of Minnesota Twin Cities biomedical engineers has developed a universally accessible application that can simulate complex molecular interactions, which will allow researchers to design better treatments for diseases like cancer and COVID-19.
Study finds that sound plus electrical body stimulation has potential to treat chronic pain
A University of Minnesota Twin Cities-led team has found that electrical stimulation of the body combined with sound activates the brain’s somatosensory cortex, increasing the potential for using the technique to treat chronic pain and other sensory disorders.
Research finds that cancer cells can migrate toward certain ‘sweet spot’ environments
University of Minnesota Twin Cities engineers have discovered that cancer cells invade the body based on their environment. The discovery provides new understanding of how cancer spreads and can improve future treatments.
UCI researchers invent a health monitoring wearable that operates without a battery
Irvine, Calif., July 12, 2022 – A new self-powered, wristwatch-style health monitor invented by researchers at the University of California, Irvine can keep track of a wearer’s pulse and wirelessly communicate with a nearby smartphone or tablet – without needing an external power source or a battery. In a paper published recently in the journal Nano Energy, team members in UCI’s Henry Samueli School of Engineering describe their invention, built via 3D printing of nanomaterials on flexible substrates for real-time and wireless monitoring of vital signs.
Using light and sound to reveal rapid brain activity in unprecedented detail
Biomedical engineers at Duke University have developed a method to scan and image the blood flow and oxygen levels inside a mouse brain in real-time with enough resolution to view the activity of both individual vessels and the entire brain at once.
University of Minnesota technology allows amputees to control a robotic arm with their mind
A team of biomedical engineering researchers and industry collaborators have developed a way to tap into a patient’s brain signals through a neural chip implanted in the arm, effectively reading the patient’s mind and opening the door for less invasive alternatives to brain surgeries.
New study proves correct dosage for ultraviolet disinfection against COVID
A new study from Binghamton University, State University of New York proves the correct dosage for ultraviolet disinfection against COVID.
Human skin has evolved to allow maximum durability and flexibility
Human skin has evolved to allow maximum durability and flexibility, according to new research from Binghamton University, State University of New York.
$2.4 million NIH grant to fund research into better, faster diagnosis of lung nodules
A biomedical engineering professor at Binghamton University, State University of New York has received a $2.4 million grant to develop a faster, less painful way to diagnose malignant solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs).
Tulane scientists develop ‘living nerve circuit’ to fight opioid epidemic
Michael J. Moore, a professor of biomedical engineering at Tulane University School of Science and Engineering, is part of a national study that aims to turn around the statistics on opioid addiction.
Cleveland Clinic Researchers Develop Bionic Arm that Restores Natural Behaviors in Patients with Upper Limb Amputations
Cleveland Clinic researchers have engineered a first-of-its-kind bionic arm for patients with upper-limb amputations that allows wearers to think, behave and function like a person without an amputation, according to new findings published in Science Robotics.
New cell phone and smart watch models can interfere with pacemakers and defibrillators
After reports of smart phone and watch interference with implanted medical devices, investigators affiliated with the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) at the US Food and Drug Administration conducted a study
“Greening” Biomaterials and Scaffolds Used in Regenerative Medicine
In the biomaterials industry, electrospinning is a ubiquitous fabrication method used to produce nano- to microscale fibrous meshes that closely resemble native tissue architecture. Alas, the process has traditionally used solvents that not only are environmentally hazardous but also a significant barrier to industrial scale-up, clinical translation, and widespread use. But now, Columbia Engineering researchers report that they have developed a “green electrospinning” process that addresses those challenges, from managing environmental risks of volatile solvent storage and disposal at large volumes to meeting health and safety standards during both fabrication and implementation.
New Tool Predicts Sudden Death in Inflammatory Heart Disease
Johns Hopkins University scientists have developed a new tool for predicting which patients suffering from a complex inflammatory heart disease are at risk of sudden cardiac arrest. Published in Science Advances, their method is the first to combine models of patients’ hearts built from multiple images with the power of machine learning.
Tulane spin-out company to develop new treatment for pelvic organ prolapse
The Tulane spin-out BioAesthetics is teaming up with a Tulane biomedical engineering professor to develop a new graft for treating pelvic organ prolapse, which affects millions of women around the world.
BioAesthetics, whose CEO and COO are both Tulane graduates, is collaborating with Tulane researcher Kristin Miller, an associate professor of biomedical engineering whose lab will conduct the testing of the graft.
Wearable Brain-Machine Interface Turns Intentions into Actions
.An international team of researchers led by Georgia Tech is combining soft scalp electronics and virtual reality in a brain-interface system, recently published in Advanced Science.
New FAU Degree Programs Combine Nursing with AI and Biomedical Engineering
In the future, health care delivery systems and personnel will rely more on automation and artificial intelligence. It is likely that there will be a paradigm shift in the nursing field towards a more targeted, technologically advanced and data-oriented health care delivery system.
CUR Engineering Division Announces 2021 Mentoring Awardees, Student Video Competition Winners
The Engineering Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research announces the 2021 recipients of its Mentoring Awards and winners of its Student Video Competition.
Microgel coating gives donor cells a boost in reversing pulmonary fibrosis
Researchers have shown that even after lung tissue has been damaged, it may be possible to reverse fibrosis and promote tissue repair through treatment with microgel-coated mesenchymal stromal cells.
UCI-led team develops transplant biomaterial that doesn’t trigger immune response
Irvine, Calif., June 3, 2021 — A multidisciplinary research team led by Jonathan Lakey, Ph.D., professor of surgery and biomedical engineering at the University of California, Irvine, has developed a biomaterial for pancreatic islet transplants that doesn’t trigger the body’s immune response. Based on stem cell technology, hybrid alginate offers a possible long-term treatment for Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune reaction that destroys pancreatic islets’ beta cells, which regulate blood glucose levels.
Brian Fargo, inXile founder, gives $1 million to advance UCI research for tinnitus treatment
Irvine, Calif., May 19, 2021 — A $1 million gift to the University of California, Irvine from Brian Fargo, founder and studio head of inXile entertainment, will advance efforts to develop a treatment for tinnitus, commonly described as “ringing in the ears.” According to the American Tinnitus Association, an estimated 50 million people in the U.
Helping humans heal
In a lab on the upper floors of Engineering Hall, something is growing. It’s not a plant. And it’s not an animal. What Ronke Olabisi is growing in her lab is us. From new skin and retinal tissue to hearts and livers, she’s developing the tools to rebuild and repair the human body. A UCI assistant professor of biomedical engineering, Olabisi has been working with regenerative tissue for the better part of seven years, using a hydrogel based on polyethylene glycol diacrylate.
Breaching the Blood-Brain Barrier to Deliver Precious Payloads
RNA-based drugs may change the standard of care for many diseases, making personalized medicine a reality. So far these cost-effective, easy-to-manufacture drugs haven’t been very useful in treating brain tumors and other brain disease. But a team of researchers at Georgia Tech and Emory University has shown that a combination of ultrasound and RNA-loaded nanoparticles can temporarily open the protective blood-brain barrier, allowing the delivery of potent medicine to brain tumors.