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MEDICA.de, your source for the latest industry news and editorial contributions!

Our dedicated editorial team works year-round to present you with high-quality content from the medical technology branch on our industry portal MEDICA.de.

Whether you are interested in high-tech medical products, innovative technologies, medical research, or new treatment methods - with us you will find well-founded articles that will help you stay up to date. Our editorial team closely follows the latest trends, medical advances and technologies.

Editorial articles cover a wide range of topics, including medical technology, medical imaging, diagnostics, digital health, physiotherapy, laboratory & diagnostics, and hospital and practice equipment, among many others. We offer in-depth analysis, expert interviews and informative articles and videos to help you better understand the complexities of the medical world.

We pride ourselves on being a trusted source of information for the medical industry and look forward to keeping you informed throughout the year.

Latest news from the five MEDICA spheres

Image: Empty hospital bed with partition in a clinic; Copyright: davidpradoperucha

Sustainability: What is the carbon footprint of a hospital bed?

Researchers from the University of Waterloo completed the first-ever assessment of a Canadian hospital to reveal its total environmental footprint and specific carbon emission hotspots.

Image: A blue 3d printed wrist splint on a hand; Copyright: Courtesy of Faraz Faruqi and Stefanie Mueller

AI-driven tool to personalize 3D-printable models

MIT researchers developed a generative-AI-driven tool that enables the user to add custom design elements to 3D models without compromising the functionality of the fabricated objects. A designer could utilize this tool, called Style2Fab, to personalize 3D models of objects using only natural language prompts to describe their desired design.

Image: A close-up of a hand holding a premature baby in the incubator; Copyright: wirestock

Premature infants: early detection of vascular disease

Dr. Anne Hilgendorff’s team from Helmholtz Munich and the LMU University Hospital developed a non-invasive method with no need for sedation using MR imaging to detect early signs of vascular disease associated with chronic pulmonary impairment in premature infants, offering new avenues for risk stratification and potential prevention of complications later in life.

Image: Ultrasound technology is used in the transcranial ultrasound stimulation laboratory by a woman and a man on a female patient; Copyright: University of Plymouth

Targeted ultrasound can change brain functions for up to an hour

A study published in Nature Communications suggests transcranial ultrasound stimulation can be used in a targeted way to change specific types of activity within the brain for up to an hour after intervention.

Image: A sign with the word Triage Room at the emergency entrance of a hospital or medical clinic; Copyright: ThamKC

AI-powered triage platform could aid future viral outbreak response

A team of researchers from Yale University and other institutions globally has developed an innovative patient triage platform powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that the researchers say is capable of predicting patient disease severity and length of hospitalization during a viral outbreak.

Image: Woman and man in white coats stand in front of an emergency clinic and pose for the camera; Copyright: Axel Kirchhof | UKE

Modifiable risk factors responsible for half of cardiovascular diseases

Scientists of the Global Cardiovascular Risk Consortium have proven that the five classic cardiovascular risk factors overweight, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, and diabetes mellitus are directly connected to more than half of all cardiovascular diseases worldwide.

Image: Close up of yellow electrodes; Copyright: drazenphoto

Electrotherapy without surgery is possible

Researchers at Lund University and Gothenburg University have successfully developed temporary, organic electrodes that can be seamlessly integrated into biological systems.

Image: In the picture you can see a lotus leaf with water two hands in gloves and the product. ; Copyright: National University of Singapore

Nature-inspired pressure sensing technology aims to transform healthcare and surgical robots

NUS researchers have developed 'eAir', an innovative pressure sensor inspired by the lotus leaf effect. This sensor could revolutionize minimally invasive surgeries by providing tactile feedback to surgeons and improve patient experiences in monitoring intracranial pressure. Its unique design enhances precision and reliability, potentially transforming various medical applications.

Image: Diagram of a brain, with brain areas marked in colour; Copyright: MPI CBS

The anatomy of memory: new mnemomic networks discovered in the brain

Using a novel approach of precision neuroimaging and high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), neuroscientists and physicists at MPI CBS in Leipzig (Germany) and anatomist Menno Witter from the Kavli Institute for Systems Neuroscience in Trondheim (Norway) have now ventured into the depths of the human memory system.

Image: A doctor palpates a patient's lymph nodes in the examination room; Copyright: Wavebreakmedia

Study: Fluidity predicts aggressiveness of cancerous tumours

Researchers discovered that the consistency of a tumor can have a decisive influence on the further course of cancer.

Image: A woman sits on the bed and holds her stomach in pain; Copyright: YuriArcursPeopleimages

AI could shorten the diagnostic journey of millions suffering from endometriosis

The quality of life of millions suffering from endometriosis – a painful disease where sensitive tissue grows outside of the uterus – could be improved by a new artificial intelligence (AI) system with technology developed by the University of Adelaide in South Australia, in partnership with researchers from the University of Surrey.

Image: Two men looking into the camera, one holding a cable and the other a circuit board ; Copyright: Karin Kaiser / MHH

REM sleep study: new ways of early Parkinson's therapy

Disturbed dream sleep may indicate later Parkinson's disease. Researchers at MHH Neurology are now investigating the preliminary phase of the neurodegenerative disease and are offering places for study participants.

Image: A child with a cap on his head which is supposed to stimulate the brain; Copyright: engagestock

Children with ADHD: non-invasive brain stimulation can ease symptoms

Non-invasive brain stimulation, combined with cognitive training, could significantly improve symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, according to new research jointly led by the University of Surrey and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Image: Robinder Khemani, MD, MsCl, Children's Hospital Los Angeles in a dark blue shirt; Copyright: Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Using machine learning to make ventilator support safer for children

Robinder Khemani, MD, MsCI, Attending Physician in Pediatric Intensive Care at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, is using machine learning to improve the outcomes of children put on ventilators.

Image: A patient is wheeled into a CT scanner. The patient smiles; Copyright: AZ-BLT

New imaging technology for a quick look inside a human being

Physicists at the University of Würzburg have succeeded in making a new imaging technique ready for use on humans. Radioactive markers and radiation are not necessary for this.

Image: An older woman in a plaid blouse looks thoughtfully out of the window; Copyright: Lancaster University

Neurology: researchers identify changes in ageing brain using novel techniques

Researchers investigating brain activity in older people say the coordination between neuronal activity and the brain’s oxygenation is altered.

Image: A woman in a pink dress, Franziska Mathis-Ullrich, poses next to a surgical robot; Copyright: FAU/Georg Pöhlein

FAU: research project about robotic assistance systems receives funding

In the “ForNeRo – Seamless and Ergonomic Integration of Robotics into the Clinical Workflow” research network, researchers from FAU and five other research institutions and five companies are developing methods for integrating robotic assistance systems for surgical applications using intuitive interfaces in the operating room.

Image: The superior cervical ganglion of a mouse: Here, neurons that control the heart muscle are in close proximity to those that control the pineal gland; Copyright: Karin Ziegler / TUM

Cardiac disease: new technique shows cause of sleep disturbance

In a paper published in the journal Science, a team at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) shows that heart diseases affect the production of the sleep hormone melatonin in the pineal gland.

Image: Michal Rawlik (left), first author of the publication, and Marco Stampanoni pose at a table in an office space; Copyright: Paul Scherrer Institut

Improvement of the CT: earlier detection of breast cancer

A team of researchers from the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and ETH Zurich, together with the Baden Cantonal Hospital (KSB) and the University Hospital Zurich (USZ), has succeeded in refining mammography, x-ray imaging technique used to detect tumours in their early stages, to produce considerably more reliable results and be less unpleasant for the patient.

Image: Physiotherapy in the upper back with TENS electrode pads, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation; Copyright: microgen

Electrodes: 4D printing for nerve stimulation

Specific nerves may be stimulated artificially, for example to treat pain. The finer the nerves, the more difficult it is to attach the required electrodes. Researchers have now developed flexible electrodes produced with 4D printing technology. On contact with moisture, they automatically fold and wrap themselves around thin nerves.

Image: A mammologist feels the lymph nodes in a patient's armpits; Copyright: Zinkevych_D

Breast cancer: international expert recommendations on removal of lymph nodes

Researchers from Heidelberg University Hospital and the University of Lucerne as well as international scientists, patient representatives and European cancer societies have pooled scientific data and their expert knowledge on the surgical management of lymph nodes in breast cancer.

Image: Woman hands holding human brain over green wheat field; Copyright: Masson-Simon

Brain: a varied life boosts functional networks

The findings in mice provide unprecedented insights into the complexity of large-scale neural networks and brain plasticity. Moreover, they could pave the way for new brain-inspired artificial intelligence methods.

Image: Doctor performs an EEG examination on a woman; Copyright: diego_cervo

Brain stimulation: using electricity to treat depression

The Center for Responsible Research and Innovation (CeRRi) within the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering IAO, working with the University of Ottawa in Canada, the National Paraplegic Hospital in Toledo, Spain and the University Medical Center Göttingen in Germany, has developed recommended actions for implementing technological solutions to treat mental illnesses.

Image: Images of complex brain structures. On the left these structures are difficult to see, on the right they are shown more clearly; Copyright: Johann Danzl

Brain: LIONESS enables insights into complex tissue

In a new paper, an interdisciplinary team of scientists at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) has come together to present a new way to observe the brain’s structure and dynamics – in a high resolution and without damaging the tissue.

Image: Close-up of a female eye in purple-blue futuristic design concept; Copyright: lassedesignen/Shutterstock

Multiple sclerosis: new biomarker for early diagnosis

A study conducted by researchers from the Department of Neurology at MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna has demonstrated for the first time that diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) can be significantly improved by additionally measuring the thickness of retinal layers in the eye.

Image: Professor Dr. Anna-Maria Dittrich and Dr. Matthias Gietzelt (with tablet) stands in a building passage and smiles for the camera; Copyright: Karin Kaiser / MHH

CALM-QE: Personalized diagnostics in asthma and COPD

The MHH Children's Hospital is participating in a nationwide project to better predict individual disease courses in non-infectious lung diseases using standardised data from health care and environmental data.

Image: A group of Asian startups point to a whiteboard; Copyright: davidpradoperucha

Cure Xchange Challenge: initiative to incubate innovations by healthcare start-ups

Cure, a healthcare innovation campus in New York City, has opened applications for its Cure Xchange Challenge, a bold initiative to incubate innovations by healthcare start-ups and entrepreneurs across disciplines and sectors to responsibly and equitably use artificial intelligence (AI) in health.

Image: Portrait photo of a man (Steef Kurstjens) with red-brown hair in a white doctor's coat; Copyright: European Society for Emergency Medicine

ChatGPT suggests most likely diagnoses in the emergency medicine department

The artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT performed as well as a trained doctor in suggesting likely diagnoses for patients being assessed in emergency medicine departments.

Image: Woman with blonde hair and a light blue blouse smiles at the camera. There are trees in the background; Copyright: Karolinska Institutet

Breast cancer: more cases detected with the help of AI

One radiologist supported by AI detected more cases of breast cancer in screening mammography than two radiologists working together, reports the ScreenTrustCAD study from Karolinska Institutet in The Lancet Digital Health.

Image: Symbolic image: Photo taken from the shoulder perspective of a woman holding a smartphone with a medical app in her hand; Copyright: Karin Kaiser/MHH

MHH and simpleclub strengthen digital MFA training

To make medical assistants (MFA) fit for the future, Hannover Medical School (MHH) is launching a digital training offensive: together with the learning platform simpleclub, it is digitizing this professional training.

Image: Security architecture 2.0 blue diagram for telematics infrastructure; Copyright: Fraunhofer AISEC

Future-proof security architecture for healthcare communications

Germany’s telematics infrastructure (TI) aims to allow healthcare professionals to exchange patient data securely, rapidly and from anywhere. The platform for healthcare applications will soon see a new security architecture. The aim is to make it easier to exchange data between all parties involved as well as to facilitate access to specialist services.

Image: Young men in a rugby game situation; Copyright: YuriArcursPeopleimages

New concussion headset shows when it's safe to return to play

A new digital headset designed to measure alterations in brain function could change decisions about how quickly an athlete is ready to return to play after a concussion.

Image: A mammogram image of a breast on a screen; Copyright: ORION_production

AI-supported mammography screening is found to be safe

Mammography screening supported by artificial intelligence (AI) is a safe alternative to today’s conventional double reading by radiologists and can reduce heavy workloads for doctors.

Image: Doctor is looking through a data sheet on his desk; Copyright: duallogic

AI will soon be able to write doctor’s letters

Around 150 million doctor’s letters are written every year in Germany. This takes precious time which could be used elsewhere. The “doctor’s letter generator”, which is currently being developed by scientists from the Fraunhofer Institute for Intelligent Analysis and Information Systems IAIS, could provide a solution for creating the document in a fraction of the time.

Image: Diagram of a color coordinate representation of the heart chambers; Copyright: Dr. Axel Loewe, KIT

Machine learning: artificial neural networks localize extrasystoles

Researchers at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) use machine learning for the non-invasive localization of ventricular extrasystoles. This may facilitate and improve future diagnosis and therapy.

Image: A doctor examines a patient's left shoulder for skin cancer; Copyright: Inside Creative House/Shutterstock

Skin cancer diagnosis: reinforcement learning for improved performance of AI

An international research team led by Harald Kittler of MedUni Vienna has now explored a learning method in which greater accuracy in AI results can be achieved by incorporating human decision-making criteria.

Image: Screen of a smartphone with a medication analysis for epileptics; Copyright: Universitat Politècnica de València

Epileptika: app to help treatment of epilepsy in people with intellectual disability

A team of researchers from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) has participated in the development of Epileptika. This application aims to help the treatment of refractory epilepsy in people with intellectual disability.

Image: Woman with brown hair in black blazer and white top, Bruna Gigante, poses for the camera; Copyright: European Society of Cardiology

AI and precision medicine may discover risk of cardiovascular disease

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, among others, have now found that artificial intelligence seems to play a role in identifying the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Image: Illustration: A new Scripps Research machine-learning system tracks how epidemic viruses evolve; Copyright: Imagery created using BioRender.com.

AI-based tracking and early-warning system for viral pandemics

Scripps Research scientists have developed a machine-learning system—a type of artificial intelligence (AI) application—that can track the detailed evolution of epidemic viruses and predict the emergence of viral variants with important new properties.

Image: Young woman in medical mask with smartphone makes a selfie; Copyright: natalyaraeva

App helps with early detection of eye diseases causing blindness

Two students on the Master's Degree in Bioinformatics and Biostatistics at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) have developed a mobile app capable of detecting in a matter of seconds whether someone is suffering from glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy or cataracts, three of the world's most common causes of vision loss and blindness.

Image: A stethoscope against a background of lined up ones and zeros, colored blue-purple; Copyright: istock.com/viorika

AI brings hope for children with lyosomal storage disease

Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly important in drug discovery. Advances in the use of Big Data, learning algorithms and powerful computers have now enabled researchers at the University of Zurich (UZH) to better understand a serious metabolic disease.

Image: Jahanian Najafabadi at Constructor University, poses for the camera in a dark blue suit; Copyright: Constructor University

Virtual reality: healthy aging with virtual aids

Can elderly people really learn how to use new technologies and adapt themselves in learning new tools? The answer, according to researcher Dr. Amir Jahanian Najafabadi and colleagues at Constructor University in Bremen, is yes.

Image: Left: Chest radiograph Right: Visualization of the grounds for the AI's judgment; Copyright: Daiju Ueda, OMU

AI classifies cardiac functions, heart disease

Osaka Metropolitan University scientists have unveiled an innovative use of AI that classifies cardiac functions and pinpoints valvular heart disease with unprecedented accuracy, demonstrating continued progress in merging the fields of medicine and technology to advance patient care.

Image: Man in a dark blue jacket and shirt, Prof. Jakob N. Kather, stands in a corridor and smiles at the camera; Copyright: EKFZ

AI against bowel cancer: research project DECADE

The DECADE research project is the first to use swarm learning in cancer research. The German Cancer Aid is funding the joint project of several university hospitals with around 1.5 million euros.

Image: Transparent image layering: A patient and her electronic patient file with key medical data; Copyright: Fraunhofer IGD

Digital patient model: decision support for physicians and cost-saver

New perspectives for the healthcare sector: The support system for decision-making developed as part of the MED²ICIN project should increase the treatment success rate. It supports physicians in their decision-making process by pooling all of the information on an individual patient and comparing this to that of cohorts made up of similar individuals.

Image: Professional technician testing robotic bionic arm at prosthetic manufacturinge; Copyright: 1footage

Digitization, AI, robotics: how healthcare will change over the next 50 years

A study by researchers at Mälardalen University (MDU) describes what our future healthcare industry may look like.

Image: Prof. Stephen Gilbert, blond man in dark blue shirt, poses for the camera; Copyright: EKFZ/ A. Stübner

Chatbots like ChatGPT: approval as medical devices

The new Nature Medicine paper by Prof. Stephen Gilbert, et. al. addresses one of the most pressing international issues of our time: How to regulate Large Language Models (LLMs) in general and specifically in health.

Image: Group picture with 16 people, at Fraunhofer IZM in Berlin in spring; Copyright: Alex Dolce, Florida Atlantic University

Pregnancy: intelligent patch for remote monitoring

A patch equipped with highly sensitive electronics is meant to collect and evaluate vital data. In addition, the sensors will be integrated into baby clothing in order to improve the future of medical monitoring for newborns with the highest level of data security.

Image: Portrait of a smiling senior woman shopping in the supermarket with a trolley; Copyright: lucigerma

Atrial fibrillation: supermarket trolleys set to help diagnosis

It could be the shopping trip that saves your life: supermarket trolleys are helping to diagnose atrial fibrillation which can then be treated to prevent disabling or fatal strokes.

Image: A puzzle-like model of a lung made of building blocks on a red background; Copyright: yavdat

AI enables first integrated single-cell atlas of the lung

Can a human organ be mapped on a single-cell level to learn more about each individual cell? And can we learn how different these cells are from person to person? Helmholtz Munich researchers and their collaborators have taken up this challenge and developed the Human Lung Cell Atlas using artificial intelligence (AI)-based techniques.

Image: Dr. Marina Dziuba in the laboratory with bacterial cultures to produce magnetic nanoparticles; Copyright: Christian Wißler/UBT

EXIST funding for bacterial magnetic nanoparticles

BioMagnetix uses bacterial magnetic nanoparticles as innovative materials for biomedical applications. The founding team aims to develop and continuously improve high-quality and highly functional magnetic nanoparticles for imaging techniques and therapeutic purposes, such as cancer treatment.

Image: Cellular Cartography - Charting the Sizes and Abundance of Our Body's Cells Reveals Mathematical Order Underlying Life; Copyright: MPIMIS

Cellular cartography: sizes and abundance revealed

An international team of scientists has created the first comprehensive index of human cells, mapping the sizes and abundance of all cell types across the entire body.

Image: Schematic structure of a sensor for the detection of viral pathogens; Copyright: TUD

Diagnostics: pioneering approaches for the detection of viral antigens

Scientists from the Chair of Materials Science and Nanotechnology at TU Dresden (TUD) have made considerable progress in the development of highly innovative solutions for the detection of viral pathogens in two studies they presented recently.

Image: Microscopy image and artistic representation of the CHOOSE system in a human brain organoid; Copyright: Knoblich Lab / IMBA-IMP Graphics

Autism: brain organoid shows genetic bases

Technology, developed by researchers from the Knoblich group at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology (IMBA) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Treutlein group at ETH Zurich, permits the identification of vulnerable cell types and gene regulatory networks that underlie autism spectrum disorders.

Image: Laboratory worker holds a test tube with blood samples in his hands, test tubes with biomaterial; Copyright: svitlanah

New blood marker can identify parkinsonian diseases

Is it possible that a single biomarker can detect all types of diseases related to dopamine deficiency in the brain? Yes, that's what a research group in Lund is discovering.

Image: Half-bald man with glasses in a dark jacket stands in the sunshine and smiles into the camera; Copyright: Ryan Hull

Pathogen detection through electronic detection of DNA nanoballs

Researchers at Karolinska Institute have developed a novel method using DNA Nanoballs to detect pathogens, aiming to simplify nucleic acid testing and revolutionize pathogen detection.

Image: Female engineer in laboratory clothing inspects a small circuit board; Copyright: wosunan

Microrobots: opportunities for cancer treatment and wound healing

A group of researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has developed the world’s first microrobot (“microbot”) capable of navigating within groups of cells and stimulating individual cells.

Image: Man with dark hair, glasses and a checked shirt smiles into the camera against a gray and white background; Copyright: Peer Erfle/IMT

Microchips: better understand diseases like schizophrenia

The European Research Council (ERC) has announced the recipients of its prestigious Starting Grants. Among them is a researcher from the Technical University of Braunschweig: Dr. Thomas Winkler will receive €1.5 million for his research on modular organ-on-chip technology to better understand neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia.

Image: Blue immune cells wandering from bottom to top on a black background; Copyright: Jonna Alanko/Science Immunology

How immune cells migrate

When fighting disease, our immune cells need to reach their target quickly. Researchers at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) now discovered that immune cells actively generate their own guidance system to navigate through complex environments.

Image: Nurse prepares patient for blood test; Copyright: seventyfourimages

New blood test gives very high accuracy to screen for Alzheimer’s disease

A new blood test called p-tau217 shows promise as an Alzheimer's disease biomarker, and when used in a two-step workflow very high accuracy to either identify or exclude brain amyloidosis, the most important and earliest pathology.

Image: The drawing of a liver on a white background; Copyright: Dt. Leberstiftung

Predicting severe liver disease with simple tools

A European consortium with the participation of the MHH is developing a new tool to determine the individual risk of liver fibrosis and liver cancer.

Image: A bald man in a white coat stands in a laboratory and looks over at other people; Copyright: Joakim Palmqvist

Advanced biosensors to detect tumors, viruses and bacterial diseases

Linnaeus University is partnering with industry and healthcare to develop advanced biosensors, investing SEK 35 million in a project aimed at faster and cost-effective diagnoses of aggressive lung cancer, viral, and bacterial diseases, potentially enabling self-testing at home.

Image: Close-up of two hands in blue gloves preparing a dose of vaccine by syringe; Copyright: Beate Armbruster/University Hospital of Tuebingen

Protection for cancer patients

Tübingen T-cell activator offers protection against coronaviruses in immunocompromised patients

Image: Two men and a woman in white coats work in a laboratory with reaction vessels; Copyright: Karin Kaiser / MHH

More impact against cancer

MHH molecular physician Professor Dr. Dr. Schambach wants to use genetically modified natural killer cells to find new therapeutic options against three particularly malignant cancers. The EU is funding the project with 3.8 million euros

Image: artificial isolated heart on white background; Copyright: ozaiachin

When the heart loses its nerves

How do nerves and blood vessels interact in the aging heart? Recent research results from the Institute of Cardiovascular Regeneration and the Cardio-Pulmonary Institute at Goethe University Frankfurt shed new light on aging processes in the heart.

Image: Illustration of a protein structure with its amino acid complexes; Copyright: Kateryna Maksymenko

Innovative computational approach helps design proteins for cancer treatment

A joint team of researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen and the University Hospital Tübingen has now developed and tested a new computational method to greatly speed up the necessary energy calculations.

Image: A starch implant photographed in microscopic image; Copyright: Uni Halle / Esfahani Golbarg

Pharmacy: Using starch as a novel drug transporter?

A special type of starch could soon be used as an excipient in medicine to improve the treatment of patients.

Image: A man and woman pose seated with a dummy syringe that says "cortisone" and a clock that says "genomic time."; Copyright: Anne Günther/Uni Jena

Timing is key in cortisone treatment of inflammation

A special type of starch could soon be used as an excipient in medicine to improve the treatment of patients.

Image: The team at the Institute of PharmaceuticalMicrobiology: Three women and a man in white coats smile for the camera; Copyright: Gregor Hübl/University of Bonn

Researchers decode new antibiotic

Cooperation between the University of Bonn, the USA and the Netherlands cracks the mode of action of clovibactin

Image: Close-up of microtiter plates that are filled with several pipettes; Copyright: LMU

Immunotherapy: Antibody kit to fight tumors

A new study highlights the potential of artificial DNA structures that, when fitted with antibodies, instruct the immune system to specifically target cancerous cells.

Image: Healthy food. Fresh vegetables, fruits, meat and fish on the table. View from above; Copyright: LanaSweet

Research gives new insights into fighting antimicrobial resistance

Cooking food thoroughly and avoiding some types of vegetables and salad during a course of antibiotic treatment could potentially reduce antibiotic resistance, by preventing bacteria carrying resistance genes getting into the gut, according to a new study.

Image: Judit Burgaya and Prof. Dr. Marco Galardini in the TWINCORE at a bar table with a laptop; Copyright: Karin Kaiser / MHH

How harmless turns dangerous

MHH researcher Prof. Galardini from the RESIST Cluster of Excellence finds causes for bloodstream infections in the genes of bacteria. This will enable better diagnostics and vaccinations in the future.

Image: Microscopic image: cultivation of muscle stem cells and fibers from reprogrammed connective tissue cells; Copyright: ETH Zürich / Bar-Nur Lab

Building muscle in the lab

A new method allows large quantities of muscle stem cells to be safely obtained in cell culture.

Image: Diagram of a fully synthetic cell-instructive matrix with programmable mechanical properties; Copyright: Elisha Krieg und Yu-Hsuan Peng

Programmable DNA hydrogels for advanced cell culture and personalized medicine

The team of Dr. Elisha Krieg at the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden has developed a dynamic DNA-crosslinked matrix (DyNAtrix) by combining classical synthetic polymers with programmable DNA crosslinkers.

Image: Jonathan Holzman and Alexis Guidi are exploring the potential of terahertz radiation to improve the quality of medical diagnostic imaging; Copyright: UBC Okanagan

Riding a wave to better medical diagnosis

New UBC Okanagan research takes aim at improving diagnostic imaging

Image: A device for monitoring arm movements, part of the post-stroke rehabilitation system; Copyright: KTU

AI-based system will help people after stroke

The joint study by Rytis Maskeliūnas, a researcher at Kaunas University of Technology, Faculty of Informatics (KTU IF), and Lithuanian researchers is focused on creating an artificial intelligence (AI)-based system that aims to facilitate the rehabilitation process.

Image: Patient wearing a prosthetic arm directly attached to the skeleton and neuromuscular system; Copyright: Chalmers University of Technology

Bionic hand: surgical and engineering innovations enable unprecedented control

For the first time, a person with an arm amputation can manipulate each finger of a bionic hand as if it was his own. Thanks to revolutionary surgical and engineering advancements that seamlessly merge humans with machines, this breakthrough offers new hope and possibilities for people with amputations worldwide.

Image: Patient and doctor are looking at and discussing the x-ray of a spine; Copyright: Pressmaster

AI supports rehabilitation after spinal cord injury

An intelligent suit is hoped to significantly improve rehabilitation after a serious spinal cord injury. The AI-supported solution will be developed over the next three years by researchers from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) working in collaboration with Heidelberg University and Heidelberg University Hospital.

Image: A man walks in a garden with an ankle exo suit on his lower left leg; Copyright: Biodesign Lab / Harvard SEAS

Ankle exosuit: more independence for post-stroke wearers

Designed for independent use in community settings, the new exosuit could help stroke survivors improve their gait outside of the lab and during their daily routines.

Image: Two men and a woman pose with the BIXEPS device; Copyright: National University of Singapore

Weekly magnetic muscle therapy improves mobility and lean body mass in older adults

A decline in functional mobility, loss of muscle strength and an increase in body fats are often associated with ageing. This trend could potentially be reversed by way of an innovative magnetic muscle therapy pioneered by researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS).

Image: The carrier of the ARM2U team, Kyle Briggs, competing with the prosthesis at a Cybathlon 2023 event; Copyright: BarcelonaTech (UPC)

Low-cost robotic arm created by students as an alternative to conventional prostheses

A low-cost robotic arm created by students as an alternative to conventional prostheses: The ARM2u biomedical engineering team, from the UPC’s Barcelona School of Industrial Engineering (ETSEIB), is working on new functions for their low-cost 3D-printed transradial prosthesis.

Image: Elderly woman in physical rehabilitation with a dumbbell assisted by a physiotherapist; Copyright: bialasiewicz

Physical activity crucial for poststroke recovery

After a stroke, physical activity can be pivotal to successful recovery. People who spend four hours a week exercising after their stroke achieve better functional recovery within six months than those who do not, a University of Gothenburg study shows.

Image: ARC trial participant in active therapy: ARC Therapy is designed to deliver targeted, programmed spinal cord stimulation; Copyright: ONWARD Medical NV

Kick-off: new Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network "ReWIRE"

Through ReWIRE, next-generation scientists will be trained to develop translational breakthrough therapeutic solutions for patients with paralysis caused by traumatic spinal cord injuries.

Image: An insole is made on a 3D printer; Copyright: Marco Binelli / ETH Zürich

3D-printed insoles measure sole pressure directly in the shoe

Researchers at ETH Zurich, Empa and EPFL are developing a 3D-printed insole with integrated sensors that allows the pressure of the sole to be measured in the shoe and thus during any activity.

Image: Balance exercises outdoors. Mature woman standing on one leg exercising balance; Copyright: microgen

Poor balance may indicate changes in brain volume

In a study recently published in Gait & Posture, researchers from the University of Tsukuba have revealed that the volume of the hippocampus is correlated with a measure of balance ability in healthy older people.

Image: old man falls to the ground and touches his forehead; Copyright: LightFieldStudios

Balance ability predicts cognitive impairment

In a study recently published in BMC Geriatrics, researchers from the University of Tsukuba have revealed a new measure of physical balance that could help to identify individuals who are at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD).

$Image: X-ray of the hip with a hip fracture; Copyright: Booyabazooka$

Mechanical stimulation could be used to prevent falls and strengthen muscles

Mechanical vibrations could help improve our muscles and our balance control, according to research at Aston University. Researchers in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences have examined the effect of stimulation on muscle spindles which ‘speak’ to the central nervous system to help keep us upright and walk straight.

Image: Usability testing of the fixator with a bone; Copyright: Imperial College London

Affordable device for fixing broken bones piloted in Gaza, Sri Lanka and Ukraine

Imperial researchers have developed a low-cost, easy-to-manufacture stabiliser for broken bones to help in regions where such devices are expensive or in short supply and people sometimes resort to homemade options.

Image: A patient is examined and measured for seated knee extension speed, quadriceps strength, knee range of motion, and knee pain; Copyright: Osaka Metropolitan University

Total knee arthroplasty: Faster knee for better walking

Osaka Metropolitan University scientists have revealed that knee extension velocity while seated is a stronger predictor of walking performance than muscle strength in elderly patients after their total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery.

Image: A young woman in a white shirt operates her bionic prosthetic arm; Copyright: StudioVK

A prosthetic limb that can read my mind

A team at FAU is investigating how intelligent prostheses can be improved. The idea is that interactive artificial intelligence will help the prostheses to recognize human intent better, to register their surroundings and to continue to develop and improve over time.

Image: A man in a white shirt sits on an office chair and holds his back in pain; Copyright: Markus Bernards

Treatment for back pain: 84 percent increase in success rate

Multimodal therapies should be promoted on a larger scale in the German healthcare system, in line with the National Disease Management Guidelines.

Image: Senior woman holding the hand of a doctor; Copyright: PantherMedia/Lighthunter

Rehab device enables stroke patients with arm disabilities to do more physical training

The GribAble device, created by researchers at Imperial College London and clinicians at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, consists of a lightweight electronic handgrip that interacts wirelessly with a standard PC tablet to enable the user to play arm-training games.

Image: Participant trains in the Ekso GT during an inpatient gait training session; Copyright: Kessler Foundation

High-dose gait training with robotic exoskeleton after acute stroke

Preliminary findings by Kessler researchers show that the use of a robotic exoskeleton during inpatient rehabilitation for acute stroke may improve function. Gait training in the robotic exoskeleton can provide high-dose therapy soon after stroke, when it is likely to have its maximal effect on functional ambulation.

Image: Close-up of a boy with a healed minor cut after surgical tape stitches; Copyright: ellinnur

Biomaterials: toolbox for the development of bioadhesives

The team of Prof. Dr. Thomas Scheibel, Chair of Biomaterials at the University of Bayreuth, has compiled a current overview of the state of research on protein-based bioadhesives.

Image: dr Jasmina Gačanin poses for the camera in a hallway; Copyright: Max-Planck-Institut für Polymerforschung

Jasmina Gačanin investigates living biomaterials

Dr. Jasmina Gačanin, postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in the department of Prof. Dr. Tanja Weil, has been appointed as a “Peretti-Schmucker Fellow”.

Image: Symbolic photo: It shows a used CytoSorb® cartridge; Copyright: Karin Kaiser / MHH

Adsorber in blood purification: widely used, no proven benefit

Many hospitals use the adsorber CytoSorb to purify the blood of seriously ill patients in order to trap inflammatory substances and prevent the life-threatening cytokine storm. MHH researchers have now found in a meta-study that the treatment does not reduce mortality and may even cause harm.

Image: A scientist in lab uniform inspects a smooth surface; Copyright: StreetOncamara_From_Twenty20

NOVA project: next generation of antimicrobial coating technologies

Researchers develop and test highly efficient, environmentally friendly and stable antimicrobial (antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal) coating technologies in the NOVA project.

Image: The hydrogel composite is demonstratively stretched by Alexandre Anthis; Copyright: Empa

Sensor patch for abdominal surgery

Researchers from Empa and ETH Zurich have developed a plaster with a sensor function to ensure that wounds in the abdomen remain tightly closed after an operation.

Image: Woman with glasses and gray-brown hair, Carole Planchette, stands by a pillar; Copyright: Fotogenia - Renate Trummer

Tissue Engineering: TU Graz revolutionises production of biocompatible microfibres

Using a newly developed method for the efficient and cost-effective production of biocompatible microfibres, the production of autologous skin and organs can be significantly accelerated. Responsible for the development are Carole Planchette and her team from TU Graz.

Image: The surface of a door handle is cleaned with disinfectant; Copyright: Ruhr-Universitaet-Bochum

Hygiene: monkeypox viruses relatively stable on surfaces

A study conducted by the Department of Molecular and Medical Virology at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, has shown that temperature is a major factor in this process: at room temperature, a monkeypox virus that is capable of replicating can survive on a stainless steel surface for up to eleven days, and at four degrees Celsius for up to a month.

Image: Prof. Dr. Thomas Scheibel and Vanessa Trossmann in a laboratory for the microscopic examination of cell structures; Copyright: UBT / Chr. Wißler.

Regenerative medicine: cell-specific properties of novel spider silk materials

Materials made of spider silk can be specifically modified or processed in such a way that living cells of a certain type adhere to them, grow and proliferate. This has been discovered by researchers at the University of Bayreuth under the direction of Prof. Dr. Thomas Scheibel.

Image: Daniel Aili, professor at the Department of Physics, man with brown hair and glasses, smiles at the camera; Copyright: Magnus Johansson

Wound dressing reveals infection

A nanocellulose wound dressing that can reveal early signs of infection without interfering with the healing process has been developed by researchers at Linköping University, Sweden.

Image: A smart bandage rests on a gloved finger.; Copyright: Caltech

‘Smart’ bandages monitor wounds and provide targeted treatment

Most of the time, when someone gets a cut, scrape, burn, or other wound, the body takes care of itself and heals on its own. But this is not always the case. Diabetes can interfere with the healing process and create wounds that will not go away and that could become infected and fester.

Image: Newborn baby lies on his stomach in an incubator; Copyright: mvaligursky

Incubators: method to reduce alcohol absorbed from disinfectants used

Researchers from the University of Tsukuba showed the association between the concentration of evaporated alcohol from alcohol-based disinfectants used for incubators and the amount of alcohol absorbed by premature infants.

Image: Pipette adding sample to stem cell cultures growing in pots for stem cell implantation; Copyright: imagesourcecurated

Electrodes grown in the brain – paving the way for future therapies for neurological disorders

The boundaries between biology and technology are becoming blurred. Researchers at Linköping, Lund, and Gothenburg universities in Sweden have successfully grown electrodes in living tissue using the body’s molecules as triggers. The result, published in the journal Science, paves the way for the formation of fully integrated electronic circuits in living organisms.

Image: Xing Xie is holding holding a chip in close up; Copyright: Georgia Tech

New ultrafast water disinfection method is more environmentally friendly

Georgia Institute of Technology researchers have found a way to use small shocks of electricity to disinfect water, reducing energy consumption, cost, and environmental impact.

Image: A man in a white coat and with safety goggles, Hongji Yan, holds a test tube in his hand and is looking at the camera; Copyright: Vaibhav Srivastava

Mucus-based gel improves bone graft results, promotes healing

Molecules from mucus can be used to produce synthetic bone graft material and help with the healing of larger bone loss, a new study found.

Image: A white electrospun Renacer membrane (5 x 5 cm) on a black background; Copyright: Fraunhofer ISC

Bioresorbable membrane for healing internal and external wounds

Fraunhofer researchers have succeeded in using the bioresorbable silica gel Renacer to produce an electrospun membrane that is neither cytotoxic to cells nor genotoxic.

Image: Close-up of the healing process of a corneal ulcer, postoperative results in vivo; Copyright: POSTECH

Treating cornea ulcers with diagnostic light instead of corneal transplantation

Recently, a Korean joint research team from POSTECH-KKU has developed a new tissue adhesive that restores the damaged cornea by simply filling it and exposing it to light.

Image: A woman with black hair in a white coat sits in a research laboratory and operates a microscope; Copyright: wichayada69

Funding to produce biodegradable antiviral and antibacterial materials

A new junior research group at Freie Universität Berlin, which will investigate the production of biodegradable antiviral and antibacterial materials, with one of the goals of synthesis being new alternatives to conventional antibiotics, will receive a total budget of more than 1.8 million euros from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) over the next five years.

Image: The doctor treats the wound on the patient's leg in a clinic room; Copyright: Okrasyuk

Wound care: New spray fights infections and antibiotic resistance

A group of researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden are presenting a new spray that can kill even antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and that can be used for wound care and directly on implants and other medical devices.

Image: A contact lens prototype that is specially designed to prevent contact lens-induced dry eye.; Copyright: Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation

Contact lenses to treat dry eye syndrome

A collaborative team from the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI) has developed a contact lens prototype that is specifically designed to prevent contact lens-induced dry eye (CLIDE).

Image: Top view of FFP2 class clean face mask on blue background; Copyright: Photology75

Radon: Face masks reduce radiation exposure

Researchers from the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung now have proven in a paper published in the “International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health” that face masks - both FFP2 and surgical masks - strongly reduce lung exposure and thus the dose.

Image: Microscopic image: The picture shows a textile fiber with salt crystals (light blue) and viruses around 100 nanometers in size (green); Copyright: Empa

Watching viruses fail

Using a new analytical method, Empa researchers have tracked viruses as they pass through face masks and compared their failure on the filter layers of different types of masks.

Image: A man with brown hair in a white coat, Ángel Serrano Aroca, smiles at the camera; Copyright: Asociación RUVID

Biomaterial capable of regenerating bones and preventing infections

Researchers from the Bioengineering and Biomaterials Laboratory of Universidad Católica de Valencia (UCV) have developed a new porous material capable of regenerating bones and preventing infections at the same time.

Image: An employee in protective clothing holds a piece of non-woven fabric in his hand and examines it; Copyright: Freudenberg Performance Materials

ProQuIV optimizes the production of nonwoven masks

Producing infection control clothing requires a lot of energy and uses lots of material resources. Fraunhofer researchers have now developed a technology which helps to save materials and energy when producing nonwovens.

Image: A woman with long blonde hair and black glasses smiles at the camera - Anna Rising, research group leader; Copyright: Lena Holm

Scientists develop gel made from spider silk proteins for biomedical applications

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences have discovered that spider silk proteins can be fused to biologically active proteins and be converted into a gel at body temperature.

Image: Production of the new surgical masks that can deactivate the SARS-COV-2 virus that is responsible for COVID19; Copyright: Asociación RUVID

Researchers release masks that instantaneously deactivate SARS-CoV-2

Researchers released a new type IIR surgical mask with an intelligent fabric that can instantaneously deactivate the SARS-COV-2 virus that is responsible for COVID19.

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