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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.

NIBIB bioengineer Kaitlyn Sadtler has flourished as a leader of many impactful, interdisciplinary studies. For her role in shaping the future of medical research, TIME magazine has named Kaitlyn Sadtler to the TIME100 Next 2024 List.

NIBIB-funded researchers are working to bring in vivo gene editing to the fore. Through rational engineering of lipid nanoparticles, this collaborative team developed a way to effectively target specific organs in the body to precisely deliver therapeutic cargo, including gene-editing molecules. Their research demonstrated that a one-time treatment with their nanoparticles resulted in durable gene editing in mouse lungs for nearly two years. Further, their technique showed promise in correcting a mutation present in a currently untreatable form of cystic fibrosis in several models of the disease.

As AI is deployed in clinical centers across the U.S., one important consideration is to assure that models are fair and perform equally across patient groups and populations. To better understand the fairness of medical imaging AI, researchers trained over 3,000 models spanning multiple model configurations, algorithms, and clinical tasks. Their analysis of these models reinforced some previous findings about bias in AI algorithms and uncovered new insights about deployment of models in diverse settings.

Cancer cells frequently overhaul their surroundings, making tumors stiffer than nearby healthy tissue. While tumor stiffening makes some cancers easier to detect, it can also ramp up drug resistance. New research suggests that these detrimental changes are not set in stone, however.

A team of researchers funded by a NIBIB Small Business program grant developed a new ultrasound navigation system that could provide accurate, real-time, and intuitive needle insertion planning and guidance for lumbar puncture procedures.

NIH has just awarded $17 million for a group of projects undertaken by small and mid-sized businesses, nonprofit organizations, and academia participating in the Blueprint MedTech program.

Early detection of respiratory diseases is critical for treatment. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a wearable lung patch which, in a pilot study, detected wheezing, a common indicator of asthma and COPD.

Physical human feats require a high level of coordination between sensory and motor functions. What kind of achievements could robots perform with the same cohesion between sensing and action? In the medical space, researchers have begun to explore the possibilities.