NIBIB Biomedical Imaging
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Switching off drug-resistant cancer
Switching off drug-resistant cancer jgriffinWith their eclectic mix of mutations, tumors often survive drug treatment. In a new study, researchers found a way to use cancer’s evolutionary potential against it, destroying drug-resistant tumors in animals.
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Researchers shed light on skin tone bias in breast cancer imaging
Researchers shed light on skin tone bias in breast cancer imaging clehmannA team of researchers from Johns Hopkins University recently investigated how skin tone affects the visibility of breast cancer targets in photoacoustic imaging. They found that that a new imaging technique reduces skin tone bias, improving visibility across diverse skin tones. Source: The International Society for Optics and Photonics.
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Researchers develop minimally invasive neural interface in revolutionary study
Researchers develop minimally invasive neural interface in revolutionary study clehmannA team of researchers led by Rice University’s Jacob Robinson and the University of Texas Medical Branch’s Peter Kan with NIBIB funding have developed a technique for diagnosing, managing and treating neurological disorders with minimal surgical risks. Source: Rice University News.
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Researchers develop robotic sensory cilia that monitor internal biomarkers to detect and assess airway diseases
Researchers develop robotic sensory cilia that monitor internal biomarkers to detect and assess airway diseases clehmannA team of researchers at Vanderbilt University has developed a system of artificial cilia capable of monitoring mucus conditions in human airways to better detect infection, airway obstruction, or the severity of diseases like Cystic Fibrosis (CF), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) and lung cancer. The lead researcher was funded by an NIH/NIBIB Trailblazer Award. Source: Vanderbilt School of Engineering
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NIBIB initiative expands the biomedical engineering, imaging, and technology acceleration aspirations of HBCUs
NIBIB initiative expands the biomedical engineering, imaging, and technology acceleration aspirations of HBCUs raymond.macdougallNIBIB has designed an initiative called Enhancing Biomedical Engineering, Imaging, and Technology Acceleration (eBEITA) at HBCUs. Recently, NIBIB made its first round of eBEITA grants to two HBCUs.
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New liquid biopsy method offers avenue to quick, affordable cancer diagnosis
New liquid biopsy method offers avenue to quick, affordable cancer diagnosis clehmannIn a study published in Small, researchers at the University of Rochester outline a new method for using ultrathin membranes to easily identify extracellular vesicles for rapid liquid biopsies. The method, called catch and display for liquid biopsy (CAD-LB), holds promise for diagnosing cancer quickly and affordably, and assessing the progress of therapies used to treat diseases. Source: University of Rochester News
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NIH announces prize winners in year-long challenge to develop fetal diagnostic and monitoring technologies
NIH announces prize winners in year-long challenge to develop fetal diagnostic and monitoring technologies raymond.macdougallNIH has announced winners of the RADx® Tech Fetal Monitoring Challenge, a $2 million prize competition to speed development of innovative medical technologies for fetal health diagnosis, detection and monitoring.
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Unraveling colorectal cancer metastasis: Study provides new insights and potential therapeutic opportunities
Unraveling colorectal cancer metastasis: Study provides new insights and potential therapeutic opportunities clehmannMetastasis remains the primary challenge to reducing cancer deaths worldwide. Now, a study by Memorial Sloan Kettering, published in Nature is providing unique insights into metastasis that researchers say point to new therapeutic opportunities. Source: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center News
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Microgrippers for myriad miniature biopsies
Microgrippers for myriad miniature biopsies kolsenResearchers are developing preclinical microgrippers that could be deployed throughout the upper urinary tract to grab tiny pieces of tissue and facilitate early detection of disease.
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New liquid biopsy method offers avenue to quick, affordable cancer diagnosis
New liquid biopsy method offers avenue to quick, affordable cancer diagnosis clehmannIn a study published in Small, researchers at the University of Rochester outline a new method for using ultrathin membranes to easily identify extracellular vesicles for rapid liquid biopsies. The method, called catch and display for liquid biopsy (CAD-LB), holds promise for diagnosing cancer quickly and affordably, and assessing the progress of therapies used to treat diseases. Source: University of Rochester News Center
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Immunotherapy blocks scarring, improves heart function in mice with heart failure
Immunotherapy blocks scarring, improves heart function in mice with heart failure clehmannResearchers at Washington University Medicine have reduced scar formation and improved heart function in mouse models of heart failure using a monoclonal antibody treatment. The antibody that reduces inflammation could serve as cardio-immunotherapy for heart failure patients. Source: WashU Medicine
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University of Houston engineers unveil AI model for predicting, controlling pandemic spread
University of Houston engineers unveil AI model for predicting, controlling pandemic spread clehmannA team of engineers at the University of Houston has published a study in the journal Nature on how international air travel has influenced the spread of COVID-19 around the world. By using a newly developed AI tool, the team identified hotspots of infection linked to air traffic, pinpointing key areas that significantly contribute to disease transmission. Source: University of Houston Newsroom
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A new hydrogel semiconductor represents a breakthrough for tissue-interfaced bioelectronics
A new hydrogel semiconductor represents a breakthrough for tissue-interfaced bioelectronics clehmannThe University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) has solved a challenge that has long stymied researchers, reimagining the process of creating hydrogels to build a powerful semiconductor in hydrogel form that can be used to create better brain-machine interfaces, biosensors, and pacemakers. Source: UChicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering News.
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Forming an interdisciplinary future
Forming an interdisciplinary future jgriffinNIBIB 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.
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Researchers develop 3D atlas of the developing mammalian brain
Researchers develop 3D atlas of the developing mammalian brain clehmannA team of researchers at Penn State College of Medicine and collaborators from five institutes have developed a new 3D atlas of developing mice brains using advanced imaging and microscopy techniques. The new high-resolution maps of the mouse brain will help advance the understanding of brain development and the study of neurodevelopment disorders.
Source: Penn State Research News
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Custom alterations: mending genes for long-lasting effects
Custom alterations: mending genes for long-lasting effects kolsenNIBIB-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.
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A new method makes high-resolution imaging more accessible
A new method makes high-resolution imaging more accessible clehmannLabs that can’t afford expensive super-resolution microscopes could use a new expansion technique to image nanoscale structures inside cells. Source: MIT News
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Optimizing Inhibitors That Fight Antibiotic Resistance
Optimizing Inhibitors That Fight Antibiotic Resistance clehmannAs strains of pathogens resistant to frontline antibiotics become more common worldwide, clinicians are more often turning to combination treatments that degrade this resistance as a first treatment option.
Researchers from Duke University have discovered the mechanism behind why some antibiotic-resistant pathogens haven't adapted to the combination treatments—the bacteria’s level of “selfishness.” The insight provides guidance to clinicians on how to best tailor these combination treatments to different pathogens, minimize the selection for resistance and formulate new antibiotic resistance inhibitors. Source: Duke University Pratt School of Engineering
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Better MRI videos with new machine learning method
Better MRI videos with new machine learning method clehmannUsing smartly trained neural networks, researchers at the University of Technology Graz funded in part by NIBIB have succeeded in generating precise real-time images of the beating heart from just a few MRI measurement data. Other MRI applications can also be accelerated using this procedure. Source: TU Graz News
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Md. researcher’s insight into regenerating tissue leads to TIME innovator list
Md. researcher’s insight into regenerating tissue leads to TIME innovator list jgriffinResearch into harnessing the immune system to encourage injured tissue to regenerate has landed a Maryland researcher on a TIME magazine list of 2024 innovators. During a WTOP visit to the lab she leads at the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, researcher Kaitlyn Sadtler, explained its goal is to understand the immune system’s role in wound healing and how it could be leveraged by medical technology to regenerate tissue.
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Implementing medical imaging AI: issues to consider
Implementing medical imaging AI: issues to consider kolsenAs 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.
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New AI model efficiently reaches clinical-expert-level accuracy in complex medical scans
New AI model efficiently reaches clinical-expert-level accuracy in complex medical scans clehmannUCLA researchers have developed a deep-learning framework that teaches itself quickly to automatically analyze and diagnose MRIs and other 3D medical images – with accuracy matching that of medical specialists in a fraction of the time. Source: UCLA Computational Medicine News
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Researchers reverse drug resistance in pancreatic cancer model
Researchers reverse drug resistance in pancreatic cancer model jgriffinCancer 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.
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Noninvasive method to monitor postprandial cardiovascular health
Noninvasive method to monitor postprandial cardiovascular health clehmannThe dynamics of blood nutrient and lipid levels after consuming a high-fat meal are crucial indicators of both current and future cardiovascular health. A recent NIBIB-funded study from Boston University, Harvard Medical School, and Brigham and Women's Hospital investigated how meal composition affects skin tissue properties shortly after eating. Source: The International Society for Optics and Photonics News
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Augmented reality navigation system could improve lumbar puncture accuracy
Augmented reality navigation system could improve lumbar puncture accuracy clehmannA 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.
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Building Better DNA Editors: Retrons Raise the Bar for Gene Research
Building Better DNA Editors: Retrons Raise the Bar for Gene Research clehmannWithin bacterial cells, specialized immune systems known as retrons fend off viral attacks. They can also perform precise DNA editing.
In a new study published in Nature Biotechnology, Shipman and his team greatly expand the universe of retron knowledge. They carried out a “census” of 163 never-before-tested retrons and identified many that can edit DNA more quickly and efficiently than those currently used in research. This research may contribute to genome engineering and future gene therapies.
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Blueprint MedTech continues to fuel the innovation of devices to treat and diagnose conditions affecting the nervous system
Blueprint MedTech continues to fuel the innovation of devices to treat and diagnose conditions affecting the nervous system raymond.macdougallNIH 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.
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Wearable lung patch uses deep learning to detect asthma and COPD
Wearable lung patch uses deep learning to detect asthma and COPD clehmannEarly 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.
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New technology could lead to alternative treatments for antibiotic-resistant bacteria
New technology could lead to alternative treatments for antibiotic-resistant bacteria clehmannAs antibiotic resistance becomes an increasingly serious threat to our health, the scientific and medical communities are searching for new medicines to fight infections. Researchers at Gladstone Institutes have just moved closer to that goal with a novel technique for harnessing the power of bacteriophages. Source: Gladstone Institutes News
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Taking cues from nature, medical soft robots get smart
Taking cues from nature, medical soft robots get smart jgriffinPhysical 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.
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Gene therapy gets a turbo boost from researchers
Gene therapy gets a turbo boost from researchers clehmannGene therapy, the idea of fixing faulty genes with healthy ones, has held immense promise. But a major hurdle has been finding a safe and efficient way to deliver those genes.
Now, researchers at the University of Hawaiʻi’s John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) have made a significant breakthrough in gene editing technology that could revolutionize how genetic diseases are treated. Source: University of Hawaiʻi’s John A. Burns School of Medicine News
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NIH prize challenge recognizes undergraduate biomedical engineers for innovative medical device designs
NIH prize challenge recognizes undergraduate biomedical engineers for innovative medical device designs raymond.macdougallThe National Institutes of Health and the higher education non-profit VentureWell have selected 11 winners and five honorable mentions in the Design by Biomedical Undergraduate Teams (DEBUT) Challenge, who are set to receive prizes totaling $160,000.
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New portable imaging device improves ear disease diagnosis
New portable imaging device improves ear disease diagnosis clehmannA new portable device would allow clinicians to obtain a more comprehensive picture of the ear, which could improve diagnostic accuracy. The NIBIB-funded study reported in the Journal of Biomedical Optics (JBO), describes this groundbreaking device from the University of Southern California's Caruso Department of Otolaryngology.
Source: The International Society for Optics and Photonics News
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Lose Weight Faster With These Two Nutrients, Scientists Say
Lose Weight Faster With These Two Nutrients, Scientists Say raymond.macdougallParticipants in a self-directed diet program lost significantly more weight by consuming higher amounts of protein and fiber, along with adhering to a personalized and flexible diet plan. Source: SciTech Daily
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Novel Molecular Imaging Tool Objectively Measures and Diagnoses Smell Disorders
Novel Molecular Imaging Tool Objectively Measures and Diagnoses Smell Disorders clehmannA new fluorescent imaging probe can for the first time objectively and non-invasively measure loss of smell, clinically known as anosmia. Targeting the olfactory nerve, the new tool has potential to eliminate biopsies used to diagnose certain anosmia conditions and to aid in the development of therapeutic interventions. This research, funded in part by NIBIB, was published in the August issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
Source: Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging News
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Think fast — or not: FSU research describes mathematics behind decision making
Think fast — or not: FSU research describes mathematics behind decision making clehmannNew research from a Florida State University professor and colleagues explains the mathematics behind how initial predispositions and additional information affect decision making.
The research team’s findings show that when decision makers quickly come to a conclusion, the decision is more influenced by their initial bias, or a tendency to err on the side of one of the choices presented. If decision makers wait to gather more information, the slower decision will be less biased. Source:Florida State University News
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From flat to overflowing: adding another dimension to tissue analysis
From flat to overflowing: adding another dimension to tissue analysis kolsenA team of NIBIB-funded researchers recently developed an AI platform that can analyze 3D pathology images to predict disease outcomes. Their method had improved performance in predicting prostate cancer outcomes when compared with traditional pathology approaches, such as analysis by expert pathologists using 2D images.
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Rice lab pioneers noninvasive measurement of gene expression in target brain locations
Rice lab pioneers noninvasive measurement of gene expression in target brain locations clehmannA study funded in part by NIBIB published in Science Advances describes new technology developed by the Rice University lab of bioengineer Jerzy Szablowski that could be a game changer for brain-based gene therapy. The new noninvasive tool can measure expression of gene therapy or endogenous genes in specific brain regions.
Source: Rice University News
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UT Tyler receives $481K grant for cutting-edge ultrasound research
UT Tyler receives $481K grant for cutting-edge ultrasound research raymond.macdougallA team of undergraduate researchers at UT Tyler have received $481,440 in funding from NIBIB. The focus of their research is developing formulations and algorithms to increase the speed and accuracy of ultrasound imaging so that it might one day be used to treat tumors. Source: KLTV
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Epigenetic Editor Silences Toxic Proteins in the Mouse Brain, Offering Promising Path to Treat Deadly Prion Diseases
Epigenetic Editor Silences Toxic Proteins in the Mouse Brain, Offering Promising Path to Treat Deadly Prion Diseases raymond.macdougallThere are currently no treatments, preventive vaccines, or cures for prion diseases, which can be acquired, like mad cow disease, or inherited, like fatal familial insomnia. But an encouraging new study in mice suggests a potentially promising path for developing a treatment for people with these deadly conditions. Source:NIH Director's Blog
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Grady, Emory hep C breakthrough: ‘This device removes so many barriers’
Grady, Emory hep C breakthrough: ‘This device removes so many barriers’ raymond.macdougallWorking with the National Institutes of Health Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics Tech test validation center, researchers from Atlanta’s Emory University and Grady Health System have helped push hepatitis C testing to new heights, participating in the creation of the first FDA-authorized point-of-care test for the virus. It’s a scientific breakthrough that could affect millions of Americans. Source: https://www.ajc.com/pulse/grady-emory-hep-c-breakthrough-this-device-re…
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Putting the power of lab-based diagnostic testing in the palm of your hand
Putting the power of lab-based diagnostic testing in the palm of your hand jgriffinDue to its high accuracy, lab-based PCR testing is the gold standard for infectious disease diagnostics. Yet PCR's availability is limited, especially in low-resource settings. New research suggests a new kind of test could be more streamlined without sacrificing performance.
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Rice lab develops smallest free-floating bubbles for medical imaging
Rice lab develops smallest free-floating bubbles for medical imaging clehmannBioengineering researchers at Rice University have developed ultrasmall, stable gas-filled protein nanostructures that could revolutionize ultrasound imaging and drug delivery. Unlike current microbubbles or nanobubbles that are too large to cross biological barriers effectively, the novel diamond-shaped 50-nanometer gas vesicles (50-NM GVs) — approximately the size of viruses — are believed to be the smallest stable, free-floating structures for medical imaging ever created. Source: Rice University News
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Discussing the history and trajectory of NIBIB
Discussing the history and trajectory of NIBIB raymond.macdougallDr. Bruce Tromberg, NIBIB Director, speaks with Research America! Alliance on the history and trajectory of NIBIB and bioengineering as a tool that is focused on collaboration to develop cutting-edge technology in service of health science breakthroughs. Source: Research America! blog.
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Study reveals why AI models that analyze medical images can be biased
Study reveals why AI models that analyze medical images can be biased clehmannArtificial intelligence models often play a role in medical diagnoses, especially when it comes to analyzing images such as X-rays. However, studies have found that these models don’t always perform well across all demographic groups, usually faring worse on women and people of color. Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology News
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New mRNA technology turns cells into long-lasting drug factories
New mRNA technology turns cells into long-lasting drug factories jgriffinResearchers 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.
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Soft, Stretchy Electrode Simulates Touch Sensations Using Electrical Signals
Soft, Stretchy Electrode Simulates Touch Sensations Using Electrical Signals clehmannA 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.
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FDA clears first ‘rapid diagnostic’ hepatitis C RNA test for point-of-care settings
FDA clears first ‘rapid diagnostic’ hepatitis C RNA test for point-of-care settings raymond.macdougallThe 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
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Lab-grown muscles reveal mysteries of rare muscle diseases
Lab-grown muscles reveal mysteries of rare muscle diseases clehmannBiomedical 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
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Bladder buzz: technologies to improve bladder surgery and monitoring
Bladder buzz: technologies to improve bladder surgery and monitoring kolsenNIBIB-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.