NIBIB Biomedical Imaging
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Researchers investigate low-intensity electrical pulses to help the immune system fight cancer
Researchers investigate low-intensity electrical pulses to help the immune system fight cancer clehmannHigh-intensity electrical pulses have been medically used to destroy tumors while sparing healthy tissue. But lower-intensity pulses may have a different effect — they reshape the battlefield, making tumors more vulnerable to the body’s own defenses.
Researchers at Virginia Tech have discovered that these lower-intensity pulses alter the tumor’s environment, increasing blood vessel density within a day of treatment and boosting lymphatic vessel growth by day three. These changes may help guide immune cells to the tumor, potentially improving the body's natural ability to fight cancer. Source: Virginia Tech News
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New research could have applications for disease detection and environmental monitoring
New research could have applications for disease detection and environmental monitoring clehmannScientists have transformed RNA, a biological molecule present in all living cells, into a biosensor that can detect tiny chemicals relevant to human health.
Research by Rutgers University-New Brunswick scientists centers on RNA, a nucleic acid that plays a crucial role in most cellular processes. Their work is expected to have applications in the surveillance of environmental chemicals and, ultimately, the diagnosis of critical diseases including neurological and cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Source: Rutgers Today
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Your skin is breathing. This new wearable device can measure it.
Your skin is breathing. This new wearable device can measure it. clehmannNorthwestern University researchers have developed the first wearable device for measuring gases emitted from and absorbed by the skin.
By analyzing these gases, the device offers an entirely new way to assess skin health, including monitoring wounds, detecting skin infections, tracking hydration levels, quantifying exposure to harmful environmental chemicals and more. Source: Northwestern Now
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New Gene Editing Tool Shows Promise for Treating Diseases with Multiple Mutations
New Gene Editing Tool Shows Promise for Treating Diseases with Multiple Mutations clehmannInvestigators from Mass General Brigham and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center have developed STITCHR, a new gene editing tool that can insert therapeutic genes into specific locations without causing unwanted mutations. The system can be formulated completely as RNA, dramatically simplifying delivery logistics compared to traditional systems that use both RNA and DNA. Source: Massachusetts General Brigham
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AI tool can track effectiveness of multiple sclerosis treatments
AI tool can track effectiveness of multiple sclerosis treatments clehmannA new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can help interpret and assess how well treatments are working for patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) has been developed by University College London researchers. Source: University College London News
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New research from Emory University may revolutionize how stroke, heart attack, related blood-clotting conditions are treated
New research from Emory University may revolutionize how stroke, heart attack, related blood-clotting conditions are treated clehmannBlood clots are associated with life-threatening conditions such as sepsis, sickle cell disease, heart attack and stroke. However, new research from Emory University may revolutionize how clinicians understand and treat these harmful blood clots, or thrombi, a byproduct of a condition called thromboinflammation.
In a groundbreaking study published in Nature, researchers have discovered the potential to provide life-saving medications to patients with blood clots at the right time, with the right dose, in novel combinations based on a new model. Source: Emory University News Center
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Revealing capillaries and cells in living organs with ultrasound
Revealing capillaries and cells in living organs with ultrasound clehmannWhile medical centers use ultrasound daily, so far this technology has not been capable of observing body tissues at the scale of cells. Physicists at several universities including CalTech have now developed a microscopy technique based on ultrasound to reveal capillaries and cells across living organs -- something that wasn't possible before. Source: Delft University of Technology
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Drug-delivering aptamers target leukemia stem cells for one-two knockout punch
Drug-delivering aptamers target leukemia stem cells for one-two knockout punch clehmannDrug-carrying DNA snippets called aptamers can deliver a one-two punch to leukemia by precisely targeting the elusive cancer stem cells that seed cancer relapses, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign report.
The aptamers — short single-strand snippets of DNA that can target molecules like larger antibodies do — not only deliver cancer-fighting drugs, but also are themselves toxic to the cancer stem cells, the researchers said.
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Researchers lend expertise to improve treatment for childhood brain cancers
Researchers lend expertise to improve treatment for childhood brain cancers clehmannBrain cancer is the second most common cancer in children after leukemia, and it is also the deadliest, due to the fact that brain tumors are diverse, resistant to treatments and often hard to access surgically. A collaborative team of researchers at several institutions have developed a new way to profile brain cancers in children, paving the way for improved diagnostics and treatments. Source: UTSA Today
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A new concussion model for college athletes may help predict longer recovery times
A new concussion model for college athletes may help predict longer recovery times clehmannCollege athletes want to know when they can return to playing sports after a concussion. NIH-funded researchers have developed a new prognostic model.
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AI in IR
AI in IR raymond.macdougallExperts see broader applications as evidence suggests AI in interventional radiology can improve patient outcomes. AI is a hot topic in IR, and rightly so. Source: Radiology Today
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Researchers dig deep into cancer with magnetic nanoparticles
Researchers dig deep into cancer with magnetic nanoparticles jgriffinMany cancer drugs fail to penetrate deep into tumors, but new research suggests magnetism could help pull them through.
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Decreasing the invasiveness of deep brain stimulation
Decreasing the invasiveness of deep brain stimulation kolsenResearchers are developing a preclinical method to stimulate the brain without drilling into the skull by guiding a catheter through the cerebrospinal fluid.
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How a Y chromosome gene may shape the course of heart valve disease
How a Y chromosome gene may shape the course of heart valve disease clehmannA study led by bioengineers at the University of California San Diego sheds new light on how a type of heart valve disease, called aortic valve stenosis, progresses differently in males and females. The research reveals that this sex-based difference can be traced to a gene on the Y chromosome. Source: MedicalXpress.com
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Quantum Properties in Atom-thick Semiconductors Offer New Way to Detect Electrical Signals in Cells
Quantum Properties in Atom-thick Semiconductors Offer New Way to Detect Electrical Signals in Cells clehmannFor decades, scientists have relied on electrodes and dyes to track the electrical activity of living cells. Now, engineers at the University of California San Diego with NIBIB funding have discovered that quantum materials just a single atom thick can do the job—using only light. Source: UC San Diego Today
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New research could transform design of brain implants for neurological disorders to make them safer, more effective
New research could transform design of brain implants for neurological disorders to make them safer, more effective clehmannA team of researchers at Case Western Reserve University has discovered that bacteria can invade the brain after a medical device is implanted, contributing to inflammation and reducing the device’s long-term effectiveness.
Their groundbreaking research, recently published in Nature Communications, could improve the long-term success of brain implants now that a target has been identified to address. Source: Case Western Reserve University: The Daily.
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Artificial muscle flexes in multiple directions, offering a path to soft, wiggly robots
Artificial muscle flexes in multiple directions, offering a path to soft, wiggly robots clehmannIn recent years, scientists and engineers have looked to muscles as potential actuators for “biohybrid” robots — machines powered by soft, artificially grown muscle fibers. Now, MIT engineers with NIBIB funding have developed a method to grow artificial muscle tissue that twitches and flexes in multiple coordinated directions. Source: MIT News
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New CRISPR-based diagnostic test detects pathogens in blood without amplification
New CRISPR-based diagnostic test detects pathogens in blood without amplification clehmannA team of researchers at the University of Illinois Grainger College of Engineering have conducted a research project that's led to new technology that offers rapid, highly sensitive detection of multi-drug-resistant bacteria and other pathogens at low concentrations. Source: EurekAlert!
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NIH announces finalists of endometriosis diagnostics competition
NIH announces finalists of endometriosis diagnostics competition jmeadeThe National Institutes of Health (NIH) has selected four finalists with innovative, non-invasive technologies that seek to improve diagnosis of endometriosis.
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Repurposed ALS drug becomes imaging probe to help diagnose neurodegeneration
Repurposed ALS drug becomes imaging probe to help diagnose neurodegeneration clehmannPositron emission tomography (PET) is a nuclear imaging technique used to diagnose conditions such as cancer. An innovative advance from scientists at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is enhancing the technique’s ability to check for signs of neurological disease. The researchers repurposed the drug edaravone, an antioxidant used to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), as a probe to be used with central nervous system PET imaging. With this technique, the researchers can detect oxidative stress, which leads to brain damage, offering a clear path to detecting neurological conditions. Source: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
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3D-printed heart tissue, imbued with solar tech, regulates heart rhythm in preclinical study
3D-printed heart tissue, imbued with solar tech, regulates heart rhythm in preclinical study jgriffinEngineered tissues could one day do the work of traditional electrical stimulation devices while offering more customizable and biologically friendly solutions.
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Picture this: Using AI to analyze photographs of the placenta
Picture this: Using AI to analyze photographs of the placenta kolsenResearchers are developing an AI tool to evaluate placental photographs that could provide predictions for multiple adverse outcomes, such as infection or sepsis.
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Innovative CT Scan Technique Could Improve Prognosis and Treatments for Head and Neck Cancers, New Research Suggests
Innovative CT Scan Technique Could Improve Prognosis and Treatments for Head and Neck Cancers, New Research Suggests clehmannCancers occurring in the mouth, nose, and throat are on the rise in the U.S., especially in younger people. A new study provides insights that may eventually help oncologists better predict how the disease will respond to certain therapies, leading to improved survival outcomes for patients. Source: University of Maryland School of Medicine
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Early sickle cell disease intervention may lower stroke risk
Early sickle cell disease intervention may lower stroke risk jgriffinIn a preclinical study, NIBIB researchers found that bone marrow transplants to treat sickle cell disease early in life may lower risk of stroke into adulthood.
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New Microscope Can Image, At Once, the Full 3D Orientation & Position of Molecules in Cells
New Microscope Can Image, At Once, the Full 3D Orientation & Position of Molecules in Cells clehmannTwo heads are better than one, as the saying goes, and sometimes two instruments, ingeniously recombined, can accomplish feats that neither could have done on its own. For the first time, a hybrid microscope born at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL), allows scientists to simultaneously image the full 3D orientation and position of an ensemble of molecules, such as labeled proteins inside cells. Source: Marine Biological Laboratory at the University of Chicago.
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New PET Tracer Reveals Potential for Recovery in Spinal Cord Injuries
New PET Tracer Reveals Potential for Recovery in Spinal Cord Injuries clehmannEach year, approximately 18,000 Americans suffer from spinal cord injuries. By detecting intact nerve connections in the injured spinal cord, a newly developed imaging radiotracer has the potential to help diagnose injuries more precisely, monitor recovery, and evaluate the effectiveness of new therapies in clinical trials. Source: The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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Portable MRI, enhanced by AI, proves viable in brain imaging for dementia
Portable MRI, enhanced by AI, proves viable in brain imaging for dementia jgriffinThe low image quality of small, affordable MRI machines have prevented their widespread use. But a boost from AI could close the gap, bringing MRI to more patients.
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Stimulating mice brains with focused ultrasound changes behavioral responses to pain
Stimulating mice brains with focused ultrasound changes behavioral responses to pain clehmannA preclinical study in a mouse model of sickle-cell disease showed that stimulating brain regions with focused ultrasound can reduce pain hypersensitivity.
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New smart sensor takes the pain out of wound monitoring
New smart sensor takes the pain out of wound monitoring clehmannA major challenge in self-powered wearable sensors for health care monitoring is distinguishing different signals when they occur at the same time. With NIBIB funding, researchers from Penn State and China’s Hebei University of Technology addressed this issue by uncovering a new property of a sensor material, which enabled them to develop a new type of flexible sensor that can accurately measure both temperature and physical strain simultaneously but separately to more precisely pinpoint various signals. Source: Penn State Materials Research Institute.
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Bioengineers Create “Smart Cells” That Detect and Fight Disease in Real-Time
Bioengineers Create “Smart Cells” That Detect and Fight Disease in Real-Time clehmannRice University bioengineers have created a groundbreaking construction kit for designing custom sense-and-respond circuits in human cells. Published in Science, this research marks a significant advancement in synthetic biology, with the potential to transform treatments for complex diseases such as cancer and autoimmune disorders. Source: SciTech Daily
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Deep learning to increase accessibility, ease of heart imaging
Deep learning to increase accessibility, ease of heart imaging clehmannCoronary artery disease is the leading cause of death globally. A new deep learning technique developed with NIBIB funding by a collaborative team of researchers could transform the way heart health is monitored, making it safer and more accessible. Source: WashU McKelvey School of Engineering News
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Light-activated ink developed to remotely control cardiac tissue to repair the heart
Light-activated ink developed to remotely control cardiac tissue to repair the heart clehmannResearchers from Mass General Brigham and collaborating institutions have developed a non-invasive approach to manipulate cardiac tissue activity by using light to stimulate an innovative ink incorporated into bioprinted tissue. Their goal is to develop a technique that can be used to repair the heart. Source: Brigham&Women's Hospital Research Brief.
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Implantable sensors are helping scientists improve injury recovery
Implantable sensors are helping scientists improve injury recovery clehmannTiny implantable sensors are helping University of Oregon researchers optimize the process of recovery from severe bone injuries. In a new study, they use the technology to show that a resistance-training rehabilitation program can significantly improve femur injuries in rats in just eight weeks.
Source: University of Oregon Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact
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President Biden honors nearly 400 federally funded early-career scientists
President Biden honors nearly 400 federally funded early-career scientists cooperca2Five NIBIB grantees received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers: Ambika Goel Bajpayee, Northeastern University; Samira Kiani, University of Pittsburgh; Kanaka Rajan, Harvard Medical School; Parisa Rashidi, University of Florida; and William Renninger, University of Rochester. The award is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. Government on outstanding scientists and engineers at the early career stage.
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Seeing eye to eye: building a cost-effective tool to visualize cancer
Seeing eye to eye: building a cost-effective tool to visualize cancer kolsenIn an effort to greatly expand accessibility, this compact fluorescence-guided surgery system, evaluated in mice, is crafted from cost-effective and off-the-shelf components.
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From Sci-Fi Fears to Medical Miracles
From Sci-Fi Fears to Medical Miracles raymond.macdougallAI, specifically, machine learning, can help improve the quality of these MRI images, making it easier for doctors to diagnose patients. Machine learning involves training AI on a lot of data to recognize trends and make predictions on new data it receives. Source: Curious Science Writers
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Major breakthrough for ‘smart cell’ design
Major breakthrough for ‘smart cell’ design clehmannRice University bioengineers have developed a new construction kit for building custom sense-and-respond circuits in human cells. The research, published in the journal Science, represents a major breakthrough in the field of synthetic biology that could revolutionize therapies for complex conditions like autoimmune disease and cancer. Source: Rice University News & Media Relations
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Enter the Physicianeers - How They Will Transform Healthcare
Enter the Physicianeers - How They Will Transform Healthcare cooperca2Former NIBIB Director Dr. Roderic I. Pettigrew's viewpoint article in JAMA discusses the integration of medicine and engineering to transform how disease is prevented, diagnosed, and treated. JAMA
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Gene editing tool reduces Alzheimer’s plaque precursor in mice
Gene editing tool reduces Alzheimer’s plaque precursor in mice clehmannA new gene editing tool that helps cellular machinery skip parts of genes responsible for diseases has been applied to reduce the formation of amyloid-beta plaque precursors in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign report. Source: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign News Bureau
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Need a research hypothesis? Ask AI.
Need a research hypothesis? Ask AI. clehmannMassachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) engineers developed AI frameworks to identify evidence-driven hypotheses that could advance biologically inspired materials. Source: MIT News
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Engineering a smile
Engineering a smile jgriffinWith the help of some of nature’s best engineers, NIBIB-funded researchers have developed technology to regrow damaged facial nerves.
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Building a multilayered drug delivery system that’s activated by ultrasound
Building a multilayered drug delivery system that’s activated by ultrasound clehmannReleasing a drug selectively in specific locations in the body, including the brain, has been challenging. Researchers at the University of Utah have tackled the problem by designing ultrasound-sensitive nanoparticles that release a drug at the targeted site when activated by focused ultrasound.
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NIH announces awards to advance tech for HIV viral load detection
NIH announces awards to advance tech for HIV viral load detection raymond.macdougallNIH has awarded more than $4 million in funds and support services to three diagnostic technology developers as part of RADx ® Tech’s Advanced Platforms for HIV Viral Load Monitoring program.
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Astronaut-on-a-chip: modeling the effects of radiation exposure using multi-organ tissue chips
Astronaut-on-a-chip: modeling the effects of radiation exposure using multi-organ tissue chips nkalkunteResearchers use multiorgan tissue chips to study the impacts of space radiation on human physiology to support the astronauts of tomorrow.
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Innovative tissue engineering: Boston University's ESCAPE method explained
Innovative tissue engineering: Boston University's ESCAPE method explained clehmannResearchers at Boston University and the Wyss Institute at Harvard University have invented a new approach to biologically engineering tissue structures called ESCAPE (engineered sacrificial capillary pumps for evacuation). Source: Wyss Institute/Harvard University News
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Rockville Native Parinaz Fathi Makes 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 List
Rockville Native Parinaz Fathi Makes 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 List jgriffinParinaz Fathi, a Rockville native who graduated from the University of Maryland in 2015 before moving on to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to complete her Ph.D.in 2020, has been named tot he 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 List in the Science category. Source: The MoCo Show
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Trio of Terps Named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Lists
Trio of Terps Named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Lists jgriffinParinaz Fathi ’15 (mechanical engineering) was featured on the Science list. She developed VIPER (Vital Injury Protein Evaluation for Recovery), a powerful tool that can predict survival in cases of traumatic injury. Source: Maryland Today
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Nanorobot hand made of DNA grabs viruses for diagnostics and blocks cell entry
Nanorobot hand made of DNA grabs viruses for diagnostics and blocks cell entry clehmannA tiny, four-fingered “hand” folded from a single piece of DNA can pick up the virus that causes COVID-19 for highly sensitive rapid detection and can even block viral particles from entering cells to infect them, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers report. Source: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign News Bureau
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New Cornell tech to evaluate anemia to be used across India
New Cornell tech to evaluate anemia to be used across India jgriffinAnemiaPhone, a technology developed by a multidisciplinary team of Cornell researchers to accurately, quickly and cheaply assess iron deficiency, has been transferred to the Indian Council of Medical Research of the government of India for integration into its programs for anemia, women’s health, and maternal and child health throughout the country. Source: Cornell Chronicle
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Researchers develop clinically validated, wearable ultrasound patch for continuous blood pressure monitoring
Researchers develop clinically validated, wearable ultrasound patch for continuous blood pressure monitoring clehmannA team of researchers at the University of California San Diego has developed a new and improved wearable ultrasound patch for continuous and noninvasive blood pressure monitoring. Their work marks a major milestone, as the device is the first wearable ultrasound blood pressure sensor to undergo rigorous and comprehensive clinical validation on over 100 patients. Source: UC San Diego.