Research Highlights

Showcase of NIBIB-Supported Research: 2010

Novel Lab-on-a-Chip System Decodes Disease: December 22, 2010
Rapid, sensitive screening of biomolecules allows researchers to ask new questions about why diseases begin and how they progress. Investigators at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a fabrication technique and a screening system that match the accuracy of current molecular screening tests but are faster, less expensive, and easier to use.

Improving Hemodialysis – An Unexpected Link Between Biomaterials, Inflammation, and Blood Clotting: November 30, 2010
Blood passing through a hemodialysis machine has a tendency to clot. University of Pennsylvania researchers discovered that the clotting is connected to an immune reaction to biomaterials used in the machine’s tubing and filters. They devised two strategies to tame the immune reaction and thereby reduce blood clotting.

New Biosensors Shed Light on Brain Cell Cross-Talk: October 29, 2010
An implantable biosensor (cell-based neurotransmitter fluorescent engineered reporter, CNiFER) allows real-time monitoring of biochemical activity in the brain.

PATH Toward New Point-of-Care Diagnostics for Low-Resource Settings: September 30, 2010
Millions of people living in low-resource settings go undiagnosed because they do not have access to diagnostics laboratories. Point-of-care diagnostic technologies are turning the table on this trend, bringing preventive screening, disease diagnostics, and disease monitoring tests to the field.

Software Suite Improves Parkinson’s Surgery: August 31, 2010
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has become a popular therapy for patients with movement disorders that no longer respond to medication. The delicate surgery requires pinpoint precision when placing electrodes on brain structures responsible for movement. To assist surgeons and increase the number of successful patient outcomes, Vanderbilt University researchers have developed a robust database and suite of software tools that automate DBS planning, placement, and programming.

A Nanoengineered Patch for the Damaged Heart: July 30, 2010
Thanks to bioinspired engineering work of a Johns Hopkins University research team, doctors may one day use a nanoengineered platform to grow and transplant cells to repair damaged heart tissue.

On the Horizon – Flexible Robotic Surgery: June 30, 2010
Minimally invasive surgery has experienced tremendous advances in the past decade. New systems incorporate robotics and increasing flexibility, but their size and cost limit widespread use. In addition, only a small percentage of surgeons undertake the steep learning curve required to master minimally invasive techniques. A new compact robotic system created by Columbia University researchers gives surgeons a highly flexible, user-friendly tool with three-dimensional imaging to operate in tight spaces.

Tongue-Operated Devices Help Paralyzed People: May 26, 2010
Taking advantage of the agility and inherent dexterity of the tongue, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a tongue-operated device that can help paralyzed people return to active, independent, and productive lives.

Ultrasound Therapy Breaks Up Blood Clots: April 30, 2010
To treat deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a condition in which blood clots form in the veins of the lower legs, physicians currently have two options: systemic drug therapy or invasive clot removal. Both carry a risk of major bleeding and require a hospital stay. A new technique developed by University of Michigan researchers offers a noninvasive, localized treatment that nearly eliminates bleeding risk. The technique, called histotripsy, uses focused sound waves to break up clots and could make DVT treatment an outpatient procedure.

Powered Robotic Legs – Leaping Toward the Future: March 31, 2010
Using robotics technology, Vanderbilt University researchers have constructed and developed a powered lower leg prosthesis that has both brains and brawn.

Modeling Mechanical Stress in Vulnerable Plaques to Reduce Strokes: February 26, 2010
Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), clinicians can pinpoint potentially lethal plaques that accumulate in the main artery leading to the brain. However, MRI cannot predict which plaques may rupture and cause a stroke. A new computer model developed by researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Mass., Washington University, St. Louis, Mo., and the University of Washington, Seattle, provides such an assessment by calculating the structural stresses each plaque experiences. The model offers physicians a more precise way to evaluate each plaque and tailor treatment to individual patients.

Diagnostic Magnetic Resonance – Miniature System Could Have Huge Public Health Impact: January 29, 2010
Using microfabrication technology and nanotechnology, Harvard University researchers constructed the world’s smallest diagnostic NMR system for fast and inexpensive analysis of native biological samples.

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