News: 2007
October 17: NIH and India Partner to Develop Low-Cost Medical
Technologies
The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), part of
the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the Republic of India, have entered
into a bilateral agreement to develop low-cost health-care technologies aimed at
the medically underserved. The agreement is based on a shared commitment to improve
the health and well-being of the people of both countries by encouraging collaborations
and cooperation on the development of diagnostic and therapeutic medical technologies
that are inexpensive and operate at the initial point of physician contact, or point
of care.
"We are very pleased to officially establish this groundbreaking effort between
NIH/NIBIB and the Department of Biotechnology," said NIBIB director Roderic
I. Pettigrew, Ph.D., M.D. "This agreement will create a working partnership
designed to help address global health disparities by encouraging the development
of improved methods and technologies to diagnose and treat illness and injury across
geographic and economic borders."
Areas of cooperation outlined in the agreement include low-cost innovations in X-ray
technology; nanotechnology-based biosensors; point-of-care diagnostic technologies;
telehealth and telecommunication technologies; and neonatal health technologies.
The disease areas and conditions likely to be affected by the successful development
of the technologies are infectious diseases, cardiovascular disease, liver disease,
trauma and injury, and conditions associated with infant mortality.
"Developing low-cost health technologies that are unique in design to be affordable
and useable in disease prevention and management is a high priority in India,"
said Maharaj Bhan, M.D., DBT director. "The partnership with NIH, and through
them, with U.S. institutions, is critical for us to make progress. We are excited
about this agreement with NIH to bring multiple disciplines and teams together to
find innovative solutions."
As part of the agreement, NIBIB and the DBT will encourage workshops and meetings
to share experiences and scientific information; link appropriate centers of excellence
and institutes; engage in bilateral cooperation on the assessment and application
of new diagnostic technologies; and generate collaboration among scientists and
engineers in the conduct of research, research training, and technology development.
The agencies will facilitate and share each other’s efforts in research and
development through regular interactions between scientists, and will work towards
mutual, annual goals.
The signing of the Agreement on Science and Technology took place during a recent
visit to the Ministry of Science and Technology in New Delhi, India.
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October 4: NIBIB Invests in Quantum Research
The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), part of
the National Institutes of Health (NIH), today announced the award of more than
$12 million in grants to support research and development of potentially high-impact,
innovative technologies to advance health care.
The new grants will fund four investigators in developing groundbreaking technologies:
disposable microchips for the diagnosis of metastatic lung cancer, a bio-artificial
kidney to eliminate dialysis procedures, insulin-producing cells to treat diabetes,
and nanoparticles that selectively leave the blood and bind to cancer cells to assist
in removal of brain tumors.
"This innovative program from the NIBIB promises to harness the power of technological
discovery and team science to translate new knowledge into practical healthcare
benefits for our nation," said Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D., NIH director.
The overall goal of the NIBIB Quantum Grants program is to make a profound (quantum
level) advance in health care by funding research on targeted projects that will
develop new technologies and modalities for the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention
of disease.
"We are excited to be awarding these Quantum Grants to four excellent researchers
and their interdisciplinary teams," said NIBIB director Roderic I. Pettigrew,
Ph.D., M.D. "We look forward to watching the extraordinary results that will
be achieved as these studies progress. All four of these projects have the potential
to significantly improve the current practice of medicine."
Anthony Atala, M.D., Wake Forest Uuniversity Health
Sciences ($3.2 million - 3 years)
Insulin Producing Cells from Amniotic Stem Cells for
Diabetes Therapy
Diabetes impacts the individuals afflicted and society as a whole due to the significant
complications associated with using existing insulin treatment strategies. The aim
of this project is to develop a new source of insulin secreting cells as a replacement
strategy for treating diabetes. Transplantation of pancreatic islets to restore
insulin production is promising; however, the donor pancreata are in short supply
and do not meet medical needs. The development of these tissue engineered islets
will provide a new source of insulin-producing cells and help realize the full potential
of cell therapy for diabetes.
Raoul Kopelman, Ph.D., University of Michigan at Ann
Arbor ($2.6 million - 3 years)
Nanoparticle Enabled Intraoperative Imaging and Therapy
Brain cancer is one of the most lethal forms of cancer, and is diagnosed in over
43,000 new patients each year. The goal of this project is to improve surgical resection
and treatment options for brain cancer patients. Dr. Kopelman and his team will
develop nanoparticles that selectively leave the blood and bind to cancer cells.
These nanoparticles will aid in the visualization of tumors to allow for maximal
surgical resection of tumor mass and also facilitate nonsurgical destruction of
the residual cancer cells that are remote or extend from the tumor mass. This may
achieve significant improvement in treatment of brain tumors.
Shuvo Roy, Ph.D., Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of
Medicine-CWRU ($3.2 million - 3 years)
Miniaturized Implantable Renal Assist Device for Total
Renal Replacement Therapy
End stage renal disease is a significant global health problem. Donor kidneys for
transplantation are in short supply, with dialysis and filtration as the only alternative
treatment. This investigator and his team will develop a, miniaturized, implantable,
and self-regulating bio-artificial kidney that takes the dialysis machinery and
integrates it into a miniaturized implantable device. The successful development
of this bio-artificial kidney would provide an alternative to the majority of the
dialysis procedures performed annually in the U.S.
Mehmet Toner, Ph.D., Massachusetts General Hospital
($3.4 million - 3 years)
Point-of-Care Microfluidics in Lung Cancer
The goal of this project is to develop a point-of-care microchip device that can
determine the type, severity, and aggressiveness of a wide range of cancers by detecting
tumor cells that are circulating in the blood stream. Dr. Toner and his team will
develop a new disposable microchip technology capable of separating specific circulating
tumor cells from whole human blood at concentrations as low as one in a billion.
Detecting the presence of these tumor cells at such low concentrations enables earlier
intervention in the treatment of metastatic lung cancer, which remains the leading
cause of cancer death in the U.S. This point of care test can potentially transform
patient care through early molecular diagnosis of lung cancer and identification
of new biomarkers with which to track disease progression.
For more information about the NIBIB Quantum Grants program, visit the web site
at: http://www.nibib.nih.gov/Research/QuantumGrants.
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October 4: Division of Bioengineering and Physical Science Transferred to the NIBIB
The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) today announced
the integration of the Division of Bioengineering and Physical Science (DBEPS),
formerly part of the NIH Office of Research Services, into the NIBIB Intramural
Research Program. The expertise of the DBEPS staff supports the mission of the NIBIB
to integrate bioengineering with the life and physical sciences, and spans cutting-edge
technologies operating at scales ranging from near-atomic resolution to intact organisms.
"We are excited about the transfer of this exceptional cadre of researchers
to the NIBIB Intramural Research Program," said NIBIB Director Roderic I. Pettigrew,
Ph.D., M.D. "The unique expertise and cutting-edge technologies developed by
this group are an exceptional fit with the mission of the institute, which is to
improve health by leading the development and accelerating the application of biomedical
technologies."
The Laboratory of Bioengineering and Physical Science specializes in the development
and application of new technologies, based on engineering, mathematics, and the
physical sciences, for the solution of problems in biology and medicine. The 26
staff members formerly associated with DBEPS have been transferred to NIBIB, along
with equipment and over 14,000 square feet of laboratory space. The current laboratory
structure will be maintained, and staff will perform their same functions.
Consultations and collaborative research with other NIH intramural scientists will
continue to be the main focus of this group’s work. Research areas currently
include new approaches to determine three-dimensional cellular structure, measuring
interactions between macromolecules, modeling drug delivery, and performing nanoscale
diagnostics.
"I look forward to increasing the impact of the DBEPS program through the innovative
and stimulating environment of NIBIB, and to enhancing our collaborative contributions
to the research programs of all the other NIH institutes and centers," said
NIBIB Scientific Director Richard D. Leapman, Ph.D. "Incorporation of DBEPS
into NIBIB will also provide an ideal setting for the new trans-NIH initiative in
"Imaging Molecules to Cells", which we will be helping to lead."
In addition to the added staff and laboratory space, the transfer brings to the
NIBIB Intramural Research Program some unique training opportunities for undergraduate
biomedical engineering students and postdoctoral scientists and engineers through
the Biomedical Engineering Summer Internship Program (http://www.nibib.nih.gov/Training/UndergradGrad/besip/home),
and the National Research Council NIH/NIST Research Associateship Program (http://www.training.nih.gov/postdoctoral/nist.asp
).
This new intramural component will join the existing NIBIB Intramural Research Program,
which includes the PET Radiochemistry Research Laboratory responsible for conducting
research and training in the development and application of novel radiochemical
probes for biomedical imaging, and the joint Laboratory for the Assessment of Medical
Imaging Systems at the FDA.
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September
September 26: Scientists Develop New Type of Biosensor: Device Accurately Measures
the Interactions Between Biological Molecules
Researchers supported by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering
(NIBIB) have developed a new method to study the behavior of molecules, particularly
how they interact with each other.
In a study appearing in the September 21 issue of Science, chemists at Vanderbuilt
University report that a new and deceptively simple technique – shining a
red laser like those used in barcode scanners into a microscopic, liquid-filled
chamber where two kinds of molecules are mixed -- can measure the interactions between
free-floating biological molecules including proteins, sugars, antibodies, DNA,
and RNA. In fact, the researchers have demonstrated that it is sensitive enough
to detect the process of protein folding.
The method represents an entirely new application of interferometry, a powerful
technique that combines light from multiple sources to make precise measurements.
Interferometry is used in everything from astronomy to holography to geodetic surveys
to inertial navigation. The researchers call the new method back-scattering interferometry
or BSI.
The equipment required for the new biosensor is surprisingly modest: a helium-neon
laser like those used in grocery store scanners, a mirror, a charge-coupled device
or CCD detector like those used in digital cameras, and a special glass microfluidic
chip. The chip contains a channel about one fiftieth the size of a human hair. There
is a “Y” at one end that allows the researchers to inject two solutions
simultaneously, each containing a different kind of molecule. It is followed by
a serpentine section that mixes the two.
Finally, there is a straight observation section where the interactions are measured.
An unfocused laser beam is directed through the channel at this point. The beam
is reflected back and forth inside the channel about 100 times. Each time the light
beam strikes the channel some of the light is transmitted back up to the mirror
where it is directed to the detector. There it forms a line of alternating light
and dark spots called an interference pattern.
It turns out that the interference pattern is very sensitive to what the molecules
are doing. If the molecules begin sticking together, for example, the pattern begins
to shift. The stronger the binding force between the molecules, the larger the shift.
This allows the system to measure interaction forces that vary a million-fold. That
includes the entire range of binding forces found in living systems.
The underlying physics of this highly sensitive measurement technique are still
being worked out. The researchers know that it responds to minute changes in the
index of refraction, which is a measure of how fast the light travels through the
liquid in the chamber compared to its speed in a vacuum. They hypothesize that it
has to do with the rearrangement in the water molecules that cover the surface of
the proteins: When two proteins react they squeeze the water molecules out of the
area where they bind together. This displacement changes the density of the liquid
slightly which, in turn, alters its index of refraction.
Vanderbilt has applied for and received two patents on the process and has several
other patents pending. The university has issued an exclusive license to develop
the technology to Molecular Sensing, Inc. Bornhop is one of the founders of the
start-up and serves as its chief scientist. The company plans on completing a prototype
system this fall.
Additional information including images can be found at:
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/exploration/stories/backscatter.html.
Reference:
Bornhop DJ, Latham JC, Kussrow A, Markov DA, Jones
RD, Sørensen HS. Free-Solution, Label-Free Molecular Interactions
Studied by Back-Scattering Interferometry. Science 21 September 2007 317: 1732-1736
[DOI: 10.1126/science.1146559].
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August
August 30: Funding Opportunity for the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine
The U.S. Army Medical Research and Material Command (USAMRMC), with the Office of
Naval Research (ONR) and the NIH are establishing the Armed Forces Institute of
Regenerative Medicine (AFIRM) dedicated to the repair and regeneration of battlefield
injuries through the use of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Therapies
developed by the AFIRM will also serve trauma and burn patients in the public at
large. The closing date for applications is October 19, 2007.
August 1: Novel Optical Techniques Show Promise in Predicting the Presence of Pancreatic
Cancer
Researchers at Northwestern University and Evanston-Northwestern Healthcare have
developed two new complementary optical technologies that discriminate between normal
and cancerous pancreatic tissue. The methods are minimally invasive and may avoid
complications often associated with pancreatic biopsies. The research is supported
by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, the National
Cancer Institute, and the National Science Foundation.
Pancreatic cancer carries a 5-year survival rate of less than 5%, mainly as a result
of the advanced stage most cancers exhibit when discovered. Direct probing of the
pancreas also carries a high risk of complications including pancreatitis, an inflammation
of the organ. In this new approach, the Northwestern team led by Vadim Backman,
a professor in Northwestern’s Biomedical Engineering Department, samples tissue
adjacent to the pancreas for signs of early cancer. They surmise that the genetic/environmental
factors that result in a cancerous lesion in a particular tissue site should also
be detectable outside this location.
In a pilot study of the new approach, the researchers used four-dimensional elastic
light-scattering spectroscopy (4D-ELF) and low-coherence enhanced backscattering
spectroscopy (LEBS) to assess biopsies taken from the lining of the nearby upper
small intestine (the periampullary duodenal mucosa). The optical techniques enable
the researchers to probe tissue from macromolecules to whole cells using light-scattering
signals from the tissue. The patterns or fingerprints that result from these techniques
provide comprehensive, depth-sensitive information about the tissue. For each biopsy,
light-scattering data were recorded from seven different tissue sites spanning the
entire surface.
Although the pilot study was small, involving 51 individuals, the 4D-ELF and LEBS
techniques demonstrated a high sensitivity (95%) and specificity (91%) when identifying
pancreatic cancer versus normal tissue. The techniques had an even greater sensitivity
and specificity (100% and 94%, respectively) when differentiating tumors that had
the potential for surgical removal, which the researchers defined as stage 1 or
2 lesions.
Multiple optical markers were used to assess the epithelial tissue structures in
the biopsies. Using these markers, researchers found that the duodenal mucosa of
pancreatic cancer patients exhibits a series of architectural changes, including
more densely packed cellular structures and a possible increased concentration of
intracellular macromolecular complex. Statistical analyses confirmed that the 4D-ELF
and LEBS optical markers were detecting cancer and not differences in smoking history
or age. In addition, a pathologist performed confirmatory histological analysis
of biopsies after 4D-ELF and LEBS measurements were taken.
Future studies will evaluate benign pancreatic and biliary disease to improve the
specificity of the optical markers used in the current study and may examine additional
markers to improve performance. These additional markers would take advantage of
the collected but unused information from the light-scattering fingerprints. Backman’s
team anticipates large-scale clinical trials to test the technique, which they say
will benefit from advances in ultra-thin endoscopes that reduce patient discomfort
and need for anesthesia.
Additional information on this important research can be found at: http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=109781&org=NSF&from=news.
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June
NIBIB Fifth Anniversary Celebrates Interdisciplinary Research
Click here for details
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Last Updated On 03/09/2010