Author: Maryam Hadadi

In January 2009, the life of engineer Michel Meunier, a professor at Polytechnique Montréal, changed dramatically. Like others, he had observed that the extremely short pulse of a femtosecond laser (0.000000000000001 second) could make nanometer-sized holes appear in silicon when it was covered by gold nanoparticles. But this researcher, recognized internationally for his skills in laser and nanotechnology, decided to go a step further with what was then just a…

A study led by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School has used a small interfering RNA (siRNA) to reduce preeclampsia symptoms in an animal model. This approach could provide a new way of treating preeclampsia in humans. Hakat | Shutterstock At around 20 weeks of pregnancy, women with preeclampsia develop high blood pressure and excess protein in the urine (proteinuria). If the condition is severe, blood platelet counts…

Illustration: NovioSense / FDC Medical The Noviosense tear-glucose sensor slips in right behind the lower eyelid. Update: On 16 November 2018, Alphabet’s Verily said in a blog post that the company would suspend its work with Alcon to develop a glucose-monitoring contact lens due in part to “the challenges of obtaining reliable tear glucose readings in the complex on-eye environment.” For decades, researchers have clamored to build a wearable, noninvasive glucose monitor….

Photos: BrainGate Collaboration Two participants in the BrainGate clinical trial directly control a tablet computer through a brain-computer interface to chat with each other online. One user played Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” on an Android tablet piano app and later bought some groceries online. Another sent a few texts and then checked the weather forecast. A third browsed through some videos before firing up Stevie Nicks on Pandora. They didn’t use…

The new chip developed by Barcelona researchers. Credit: Jose Yuste (CSIC-IMB-CNM) For some years, scientists have been researching in order to find ways of reducing animal testing and accelerating clinical trials. In vitro assays with living cells is an alternative, but it has limitations as the interconnection and interaction between cells cannot be easily reproduced. To overcome the latest, scientists are developing systems that mimic tissues and organ functions in…

This is cartilage template formation via engineered extracellular matrix. Credit: Syam Nukavarapu/UConn Photo A team of UConn Health researchers has designed a novel, hybrid hydrogel system to help address some of the challenges in repairing bone in the event of injury. The UConn Health team, led by associate professor of orthopedic surgery Syam Nukavarapu, described their findings in a recent issue of Journal of Biomedical Materials Research-Part B, where the…

Genetically engineered XPORT bacteria (purple) are capable of delivering DNA programming into a wide range of bacteria, even in complex environments. Credit: US Army Graphic by Autumn Kulaga A team of scientists from the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed and demonstrated a pioneering synthetic biology tool to deliver DNA programming into a broad range of bacteria. This research was recently published in the…

The startup Precise Bio says it can replace donated eyes with 3D-printed corneas Photo: Precise Bio The cornea is a transparent piece of tissue that protects the eye and helps focus light on the retina. Precise Bio’s bioprinted corneas could replace natural corneas damaged by disease or injury. Here’s a futuristic problem that may not have occurred to you: If self-driving cars really catch on and the number of traffic…

Cuffless blood pressure monitors could help continuously measure this vital sign Photo: J. Choi/Northwestern University Blood pressure is normally monitored using a cuff wrapped around the upper arm, but new research could one day lead to a cuffless, less intrusive way to measure blood pressure. Blood pressure reflects both physical health and emotional states. Traditionally, doctors measure this vital sign using an inflating cuff that applies pressure against the arm to…

Engineering scientists use bacteria to create biosynthetic silk stronger and more tensile than before Spun biosynthetic silk. Credit: Christopher Bowen Spider silk is among the strongest and toughest materials in the natural world, as strong as some steel alloys with a toughness even greater than bulletproof Kevlar. Spider silk’s unmatched combination of strength and toughness have made this protein-based material desirable for many applications ranging from super thin surgical sutures…