NIBIB Biomedical Imaging
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Unobtrusive, implantable device could deepen our understanding of behavioral responses
Unobtrusive, implantable device could deepen our understanding of behavioral responses
jgriffinMeasuring heart rate or body temperature may sound easy, but retrieving the data from small animals with bulky traditional tech is difficult, especially during behavioral tests, which are critical for understanding brain disorders. Thanks to a recent study, the animal data is now in reach.
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How ultrasound and microbubbles could deliver immunotherapy to the brain
How ultrasound and microbubbles could deliver immunotherapy to the brain
clehmannMalignant primary brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer deaths among children and young adults with few therapeutic options. A preclinical study in Pharmaceutics shows that combining focused ultrasound with microbubbles opened the blood brain barrier to deliver immunotherapy into the brain of a large animal model.
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Brain Imaging Study Reveals Connections Critical to Human Consciousness
Brain Imaging Study Reveals Connections Critical to Human Consciousness
clehmannA new study involved high-resolution scans that enabled the researchers to visualize brain connections at submillimeter spatial resolution. Together, these pathways form a 'default ascending arousal network' that sustains wakefulness in the resting, conscious human brain. Source: Massachusetts General Hospital
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Two keys needed to crack three locks for better engineered blood vessels
Two keys needed to crack three locks for better engineered blood vessels
clehmannPenn State researchers have discovered two proteins that differentiate stem cells into the components of blood vessels. The finding has implications for drug testing and other clinical applications. Source: Penn State
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AI is here. What do we do with it?
AI is here. What do we do with it?
raymond.macdougallIf there were an unofficial theme of SIR 2024, it might be artificial intelligence—what it is, when to use it and where it might go next. From dedicated sessions to keynote lectures, the possibility of AI and robotics in interventional radiology was a frequent discussion. According to Bruce J. Tromberg, AI is changing the way physicians practice medicine. Source: SIRToday
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Sensor monitors bladder fullness
Sensor monitors bladder fullness
kolsenResearchers developed a wireless implantable device that can monitor bladder filling and emptying in real time and send data to a smartphone. With further development, this type of device could help monitor recovery after bladder surgery and aid patients who have compromised bladder function. Source: NIH Research Matters
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Smart nanoprobe illuminates prostate cancer cells
Smart nanoprobe illuminates prostate cancer cells
kolsenNIBIB-supported researchers have developed a smart nanoprobe designed to infiltrate prostate tumors and send back a signal using an optical imaging technique known as Raman spectroscopy. The new probe, evaluated in mice, has the potential to determine tumor aggressiveness and could also enable sequential monitoring of tumors during therapy to quickly determine if a treatment strategy is working.
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NIBIB-led program has helped innovators pursue commercialization for a decade
NIBIB-led program has helped innovators pursue commercialization for a decade
clehmannNIBIB is marking the 10-year anniversary of a commercialization program that helps innovators bring their medical devices from the lab to the marketplace.
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Wireless, light-powered pacemaker shines bright in animal study
Wireless, light-powered pacemaker shines bright in animal study
jgriffinWhile pacemakers have treated many patients with heart rhythm disorders, their bulky design and use of wires limits their usefulness and poses a risk of heart damage or infection. Now, researchers have cut the cords, shrunk the size, and expanded the capabilities of current designs.
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Bioelectronic mesh capable of growing with cardiac tissues for comprehensive heart monitoring
Bioelectronic mesh capable of growing with cardiac tissues for comprehensive heart monitoring
clehmannA team of engineers led by the University of Massachusetts Amherst and including colleagues from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) recently announced in the journal Nature Communications that they had successfully built a tissue-like bioelectronic mesh system. The mesh can grow along with the cardiac cells, allowing researchers to observe how the heart's mechanical and electrical functions change during the developmental process.
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The future of at-home molecular testing
The future of at-home molecular testing
raymond.macdougallMany companies are now developing isothermal genetic tests that can diagnose a wide array of respiratory diseases, sexually transmitted infections and more. These products aim to provide precise and prompt diagnostic information, enabling people to quickly seek appropriate medical treatment. Source: Nature
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A window into placental development during pregnancy
A window into placental development during pregnancy
kolsenA multidisciplinary group of NIH-funded scientists have successfully captured real-time, high-resolution images of the developing mouse placenta during the course of pregnancy. Their technique, which combines a surgically implanted window with a next-generation imaging system, provides key insight into placental development under both healthy and pathological conditions.
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Researchers report rare but persistent false positives on COVID-19 home antigen tests
Researchers report rare but persistent false positives on COVID-19 home antigen tests
raymond.macdougallUMass Chan Medical School researchers have documented a phenomenon that had confounded clinicians: Some people persistently test positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, on rapid home antigen tests despite obtaining concurrent negative PCR tests. Source: Medical Xpress
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NIH researchers find no evidence of ‘Havana syndrome’ in brain scans
NIH researchers find no evidence of ‘Havana syndrome’ in brain scans
jgriffinCarlo Pierpaoli, lead author on the neuroimaging study, said while there is no evidence of brain injury on the MRIs, it is still possible that those reporting AHIs “may be experiencing the results of an event that led to their symptoms, but the injury did not produce the long-term neuroimaging changes that are typically observed after severe trauma or stroke.”
Source: The Hill
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NIH probe of ‘Havana syndrome’ finds no sign of brain injuries
NIH probe of ‘Havana syndrome’ finds no sign of brain injuries
jgriffinThe absence of signs of brain injuries does not rule out the possibility of an external adverse event causing the symptoms, said Carlo Pierpaoli, the lead author on the neuroimaging paper.
Source: Washington Post
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Havana Syndrome Mystery Continues to Deepen
Havana Syndrome Mystery Continues to Deepen
jgriffinAfter adjusting for multiple comparisons, no differences in MRI measures of brain structureopens in a new tab or window or function emerged between individuals with AHIs and matched controls, reported Carlo Pierpaoli, MD, PhD, of the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering in Bethesda, Maryland, and co-authors in JAMA.
Source: MedPage Today
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In Havana syndrome patients, NIH scientists find no physical trace of harm
In Havana syndrome patients, NIH scientists find no physical trace of harm
jgriffin"We didn't," says Dr. Carlo Pierpaoli, chief of the NIH's laboratory on quantitative medical imaging. The NIH study was larger, Pierpaoli says, and used a control group that was better matched — in terms of age, profession, and location — to the group being studied. It also was designed to produce highly consistent results.
Source: NPR
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Mystery illness among U.S. diplomats did not cause permanent brain damage
Mystery illness among U.S. diplomats did not cause permanent brain damage
jgriffin“We hope these results will alleviate concerns about AHIs being associated with severe neurodegenerative changes in the brain,” says Carlo Pierpaoli, chief of the Laboratory on Quantitative Medical Imaging at the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering.
Source: Science
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A new approach to tissue engineering improves blood vessel formation in rats
A new approach to tissue engineering improves blood vessel formation in rats
clehmannResearchers at The Pennsylvania State University have developed a new synergistic approach to revascularization that combines a new framework made from granular hydrogels with micropuncture, a surgical technique. Their preclinical method could rapidly grow organized blood vessels in live rats.
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New cardiovascular imaging approach provides a better view of dangerous plaques
New cardiovascular imaging approach provides a better view of dangerous plaques
clehmannResearchers have developed a new catheter-based device that combines two powerful optical techniques to image the dangerous plaques that can build up inside the arteries that supply blood to the heart. By providing new details about plaque, the device could help clinicians and researchers improve treatments for preventing heart attacks and strokes.
Source: Optica Publishing Group
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A golden solution quickly eliminates bacterial infections, no antibiotics required
A golden solution quickly eliminates bacterial infections, no antibiotics required
jgriffinResearchers have developed sugar-coated gold nanoparticles to both image and destroy biofilms. In a study, they used the nanoparticles on the teeth and wounded skin of rats and mice, eliminating biofilms in as little as one minute and outperforming common antimicrobials.
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Synthetic Circuits Reveal the Key to Rewinding the Cellular Clock
Synthetic Circuits Reveal the Key to Rewinding the Cellular Clock
kolsenUsing a circuit-based system, scientists determined the ideal transcription factor levels to promote the successful reprogramming of fibroblasts into induced pluripotent stem cells.
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A bioengineering professor finds her niche in global health
A bioengineering professor finds her niche in global health
clehmannIn recognition of International Women’s Day (March 8), we’re featuring Rebecca Richards-Kortum, Ph.D., a longtime bioengineer in academia who has contributed globally to improving women's health.
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NIH awards interim prizes in fetal diagnostic and monitoring technology competition
NIH awards interim prizes in fetal diagnostic and monitoring technology competition
raymond.macdougallNIH announced finalists in its competition to accelerate development of diagnostic and monitoring technologies to improve fetal health outcomes in low-resource settings.
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Engineered bacteria prime tumors for selective elimination
Engineered bacteria prime tumors for selective elimination
kolsenWhat if bacteria—which love to grow deep inside tumors—could guide cancer therapies directly to their target? NIH-funded researchers have engineered a bacterial strain to “light up” tumors so that reprogrammed T cells, drawn like a moth to a flame, can find and destroy them. Their preclinical treatment could potentially be effective against any solid tumor type.
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A self-driving needle steers through living lung tissue
A self-driving needle steers through living lung tissue
clehmannThe lungs are one of the most difficult organs for physicians to navigate. A collaborative team of NIH-funded researchers have built a compact robotic system that can autonomously steer around anatomical obstacles within the lungs of live animals.
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Bypassing the blood-brain barrier to improve brain tumor diagnosis
Bypassing the blood-brain barrier to improve brain tumor diagnosis
kolsenA collaborative team of NIH-funded researchers is developing a way to obtain DNA shed from brain tumors using focused ultrasound. Their first-in-human study could be an important step towards improving the way brain tumors are diagnosed.
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NIH Neuromod Prize Announces Phase 2 Winners
NIH Neuromod Prize Announces Phase 2 Winners
cooperca2NIH announced the Phase 2 winners of the Neuromod prize competition.
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New artificial intelligence model identifies brain organization patterns in women and men
New artificial intelligence model identifies brain organization patterns in women and men
clehmannStanford Medicine researchers have developed a powerful new artificial intelligence model that can distinguish between male and female brains. The study revealed that the model was more than 90% successful at determining whether fMRI scans of brain activity came from a woman or a man. Source: Stanford Medicine
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New technology brings advanced blood imaging closer to the clinic
New technology brings advanced blood imaging closer to the clinic
jgriffinThe qualities of flowing blood, or hemodynamics, hold important insights into vascular diseases, but technological limitations have largely kept measurements of these properties out of reach in the clinic. Now, there may be a potential solution on the horizon.
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DNA particles that mimic viruses hold promise as vaccines
DNA particles that mimic viruses hold promise as vaccines
clehmannUsing a virus-like delivery particle made from DNA, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard have created a vaccine that can induce a strong antibody response against SARS-CoV-2. Source: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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Black History Month: Dr. Marie Bernard Talks with Dr. Manu Platt
Black History Month: Dr. Marie Bernard Talks with Dr. Manu Platt
jgriffinThis Black History Month, we reached out to a nationally recognized voice in advancing diversity and inclusion in STEM. He’s also a leader at NIH’s National Institute on Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB). Source: NIH COSWD
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$557,000 Boost – Next-Generation Spinal Fusion Goes “Meta”
$557,000 Boost – Next-Generation Spinal Fusion Goes “Meta”
raymond.macdougallAn NIBIB-funded U Pittsburgh civil engineer specializing in bridges and infrastructure has created the first “metamaterial” orthopedic implants. Source: SciTechDaily
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Preventing severe allergic reactions with nanoparticles
Preventing severe allergic reactions with nanoparticles
kolsenNIH-funded researchers created nanoparticles that could deactivate immune cells and prevent severe allergic reactions in mice. The findings could lead to new approaches to prevent allergies and anaphylaxis in people. Source: NIH Research Matters
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NIBIB Director elected to National Academy of Engineering
NIBIB Director elected to National Academy of Engineering
cheryl.shimerNIBIB Director elected to National Academy of Engineering
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A new way to visualize brain cancer
A new way to visualize brain cancer
clehmannResearchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have unveiled detailed images of brain cancer tissue using a new microscopy technology called decrowding expansion pathology (dExPath). Source: Brigham and Women's Hospital
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Point-of-Care Technology Event Focuses on Partnerships and Speeding Translation
Point-of-Care Technology Event Focuses on Partnerships and Speeding Translation
clehmannNIH recently hosted the first in-person conference for the Point-of-Care Technology Research Network (POCTRN) since the pandemic that brought together more than 200 researchers, technology developers, clinicians and industry partners to discuss “Research and Innovation Translation Partnerships in Point-of-Care Technologies."
Highlights included two distinguished keynote speakers—new NIH Director Dr. Monica Bertagnolli and Dr. Renee Wegrzyn, director of the recently created Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). Source: NIH Record
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Traumatic Stress Associated With Smaller Brain Region
Traumatic Stress Associated With Smaller Brain Region
clehmannPeople with PTSD have a cerebellum about 2% smaller than unaffected adults, especially in areas that influence emotion and memory, according to new research from a Duke-led brain imaging study. Source: Duke Today
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Surprisingly simple model explains how brain cells organize and connect
Surprisingly simple model explains how brain cells organize and connect
clehmannScientists from UChicago, Harvard, and Yale propose a self-organizing model of connectivity that applies across a wide range of organisms and potentially other types of networks as well. Source: University of Chicago
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Transparent brain implant can read deep neural activity from the surface
Transparent brain implant can read deep neural activity from the surface
clehmannResearchers at the University of California San Diego have developed a brain implant that sits on the surface while providing information about neural activity deep within the brain. The technology, tested in transgenic mice, brings the researchers a step closer to building a minimally invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) that will provide high-resolution data about deep neural activity by recording from the brain surface. Source: University of California San Diego.
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Noninvasive technique reveals how cells’ gene expression changes over time
Noninvasive technique reveals how cells’ gene expression changes over time
raymond.macdougallSequencing all of the RNA in a cell can reveal information about that cell’s function and what it is doing at a given time. However, the sequencing process destroys the cell, making it difficult to study ongoing changes in gene expression. MIT researchers showed that they could monitor embryonic stem cells as they differentiated into several other cell types over several days. Source: Science Magazine
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Targeted MRI detects chronic liver disease
Targeted MRI detects chronic liver disease
jmeadeTo provide better diagnosis and treatment of chronic liver diseases, researchers are working to use non-invasive MRI to detect and quantify liver fibrosis throughout the entire organ, which would enable earlier detection and the ability to monitor disease progression as well as the effects of treatment over time.
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A new RADx® Tech fellowship helps underrepresented innovators advance their technology
A new RADx® Tech fellowship helps underrepresented innovators advance their technology
clehmannA new RADx Tech fellowship aims to increase diversity among biotechnology innovators. Fellows who recently completed the six-month program share their perspectives on how the fellowship helped them advance their technologies.
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A novel switch to turn genes on/off offers a promising step toward safer gene therapy
A novel switch to turn genes on/off offers a promising step toward safer gene therapy
clehmannJust like a doctor adjusts the dose of a medication to the patient’s needs, genes that are modified in a person to treat or cure a disease (gene therapy), also needs to be maintained within a therapeutic window. However, there has been no strategy to implement a therapeutic window safely, limiting the potential applications of gene therapy in the clinic. Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine report on a technology to effectively regulate gene expression, which could be a promising solution to fill this gap in gene therapy clinical applications. Source: Baylor College of Medicine
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Automated liquid biopsy detects brain tumor cells in children
Automated liquid biopsy detects brain tumor cells in children
clehmannAn automated tool captures circulating tumor cells in children with central nervous system cancers. The tool could make it easier to identify tumors that don't respond to treatment.
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New Vibrating Pill May Be A Cost Effective Option To Aid Weight Loss, Study Finds
New Vibrating Pill May Be A Cost Effective Option To Aid Weight Loss, Study Finds
kolsenA first-of-its-kind vibrating pill that significantly reduces food consumption by mimicking the feeling of fullness was crafted by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and they believe the pill can be used as a cheaper, noninvasive option to treat obesity and other weight-related illnesses. Source: Forbes
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An implantable device could pave the way for continuous, injection-free diabetes treatment
An implantable device could pave the way for continuous, injection-free diabetes treatment
jgriffinFrequent insulin injections are an unpleasant reality for many patients with type 1 diabetes. However, new technology could create a different reality for these patients.
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Inflatable-tip catheter is pumped for less invasive heart surgery
Inflatable-tip catheter is pumped for less invasive heart surgery
jgriffinAs a less invasive alternative to open-heart surgery, cardiac surgeons are increasingly accessing the heart from within using central venous catheters.
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Helmet With Sensors Records Brain Function
Helmet With Sensors Records Brain Function
raymond.macdougallResearchers have designed a lightweight helmet with tiny LEGO-size sensors that scan the brain while a person moves.
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New Helmet with Tiny Sensors Could Conduct Brain Scans of People in Motion
New Helmet with Tiny Sensors Could Conduct Brain Scans of People in Motion
raymond.macdougallResearchers have created a pioneering helmet equipped with miniature LEGO-sized sensors capable of scanning the brain while in motion.