Researchers from the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University created a slippery surface coating that can prevent bacterial infection from developing on medical implants, according to a study published in Biomaterials. Implants can act as scaffolding for bacterial infections to form, developing biofilms that sometimes require surgery. Following implantation, patients are traditionally required to […]
Research & Development
Polymeric nanoparticles transport quantum dots into cells
Researchers from the University of Tokyo treated the surfaces of nanoparticles with polymers and enabled the transport of quantum dots into cells, according to a study published in Science and Technology of Advanced Materials. By coating nanoparticles with MPC polymers, researchers can make substances that are easily transported and delivered into the blood or other tissue because […]
Nanoscale features on implant surface reduce bacterial growth
Growing rates of implant infection and the increasing level of antibiotic-resistant bacteria have some surgeons nervous, and rightfully so – antibiotic-resistant bacteria can cause infections that are difficult and sometimes impossible to treat. “Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are being found in patients who have never taken antibiotics in the first place,” said Thomas Webster, professor & department chair […]
3D-printed device controls ultrasound waves for surgical procedures
Researchers from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore developed a 3D-printed device that harnesses high-pressure ultrasound to move, manipulate or destroy tiny objects. By controlling these photo-acoustic waves, the device could be useful for performing precise surgery, according to a study published in Applied Physics Letters. “The advantage of acoustics is that it’s noninvasive,” principal investigator […]
Nanofibers prevent infection on prosthetic joints
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University developed a coating made from antibiotic-releasing nanofibers to prevent bacterial infections related to total joint replacement surgery. The work was published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. Although the team used rodents’ knee joints to demonstrate the effects of the nanofiber film, they suggest that the coating […]
PharmaJet, Vaccibody collaborate on needle-free HPV vaccine
PharmaJet and Vaccibody inked a collaborative deal to provide needle-free injection tech for the development of a human papillomavirus vaccine. HPV is the cause of virtually all cervical cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute, and just 2 types of HPV, 16 and 18, are responsible for about 70% of all cases. Get the full […]
Researchers boost stem cell programming with gene mutation
Researchers discovered a way to increase the efficiency of stem cell programming using research on a rare genetic disease, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Induced pluripotent stem cells are created from skin cells and can be transformed into any type of cell in the body. Using existing […]
Dipexium crashes after Locilex Phase III trials fail
Shares in Dipexium Pharmaceutical (NSDQ:DPRX) dived 84% today after it reported that its OneStep-1 and OneStep-2 Phase III clinical trials of Locilex in patients with mild infections of diabetic foot ulcers did not meet its primary or secondary clinical endpoints. Both trials failed to show any meaningful difference in wound closure rate between the Locilex arm and the […]
Imprimis touts ‘dropless therapy’ study for cataract surgery
Imprimis Pharmaceuticals (NSDQ:IMMY) touted data today from a peer-reviewed study of patients who received its “dropless therapy” following cataract surgery. The San Diego-based company uses a compounded antibiotic and steroid formulation in single, injectable doses administered by physicians following ocular surgery. The treatment is designed to eliminate the need for patient-administered eye drops, potentially eliminating patient […]
Harvard touts 1st 3D-printed organ-on-a-chip with integrated sensing
Researchers from Harvard University developed what they tout as the 1st entirely 3D-printed organ-on-a-chip with integrated sensing. The heart-on-a-chip was quickly manufactured by a fully automated, digital procedure and allows researchers to collect data for short-term and long-term studies. The team, who published their work in Nature Materials, hope that one day this approach may allow researchers to […]
Cytori touts regenerative cell therapy data
Cytori Therapeutics (NSDQ:CYTX) touted the publication of preclinical safety and efficacy data for its cell therapy treatment for combined radiation and thermal injury. The San Diego-based company said the current healthcare system is ill-prepared to care for large numbers of patients that require simultaneous treatment and that patients with severe burns commonly suffer with prolonged […]