Researchers have established an RNA-based method that drives cells in the body to produce therapeutic proteins and secrete them into the bloodstream. The approach could extend the lifespan of drugs in the body, reducing the burden on patients.

A team of researchers led by the University of California San Diego has developed a soft, stretchy electronic device capable of simulating the feeling of pressure or vibration when worn on the skin. The new technology could pave the way for the development of advanced devices in virtual reality, medical prosthetics and wearable technology. Source: University of California San Diego.

Biomedical engineers at Duke University have developed a new technique to better understand and test treatments for a group of extremely rare muscle disorders called dysferlinopathy or limb girdle muscular dystrophies 2B (LGMD2B). The approach grows complex, functional 3D muscle tissue from stem cells in the laboratory, creating a platform that replicates patient symptoms and treatment responses. Source: Duke University

The FDA granted marketing authorization for Cepheid’s Xpert HCV test and GeneXpert Xpress System, the first rapid test for hepatitis C virus intended for use in point-of-care settings. Source: Helio

NIBIB-funded researchers are working to make bladder surgeries better, tackling the issue from two vantage points: improving bladder function using a biodegradable construct that facilitates tissue regeneration, and enhancing patient monitoring by developing an implantable bladder sensor.

A research team at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University and Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) has developed a simple intervention to help treat specific cancer cells.  A biodegradable scaffold material studied in a mouse model was locally injected under the skin and used to restimulate CAR-T cells that were administered to increase their therapeutic effect. Source: Wysss Institute at Harvard University. 

Researchers at North Carolina State University have demonstrated a new method that leverages artificial intelligence (AI) and computer simulations to train robotic exoskeletons to autonomously help users save energy while walking, running and climbing stairs. Source: NC State University 

To date, nine medical device developers participating in the RADx® Tech Independent Test Assessment Program have received emergency use authorization for at-home and point-of care test products that simultaneously detect COVID-19 and flu A/B.

Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have created innovative soft robots equipped with electronic skins and artificial muscles, allowing them to sense their surroundings and adapt their movements in real-time. These features make soft sensory robots highly adaptable and useful for enhancing medical diagnostics and treatments.  Source: UNC Chapel Hill