Research Highlights

Showcase of NIBIB-Supported Research: 2011

New Imaging Tools – Shaping Up for Early Alzheimer’s Diagnosis: December 30, 2011
As the world population ages, the number of people affected with Alzheimer’s disease is rising steadily. While there is yet no cure, certain drugs can slow Alzheimer’s progression, particularly if started early. University of Utah researchers are developing new brain imaging tools that may help doctors diagnose Alzheimer’s much earlier and more accurately than is possible with currently available tests.

Polymer Lasagna – A Layered Approach to Treating Heart Disease: November 7, 2011
To reduce failure of vascular interventions, researchers devised a new technology that may one day be used to deliver gene therapy to selected cells in the blood vessel wall. Therapeutic genes and other agents are packaged into nanoscale polymer films that can be coated onto surgical devices for localized therapy.

Disposable Chip Rapidly Detects Infectious Particles at the Point of Care: July 29, 2011
One day in the near future, doctors may have an all-in-one device for quick and reliable identification of patients infected with dangerous microbe strains. This lab-on-a-chip will be able to detect even the smallest amounts of infectious particles in biological samples, food, and water.

A Sharper View for Breast MRI: June 29, 2011
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful tool for breast cancer detection. To extend MRI’s diagnostic capabilities, Stanford University researchers have developed a new coil array and image-processing technique that creates sharper MRI scans to reveal the fine structures of the breast and key features of breast lesions not currently visible.

Filling the Holes – Meeting the Challenges of Engineering Quality Cartilage: May 31, 2011
Damaged cartilage heals slowly, if at all. University of Pennsylvania bioengineers are using stem cells from patients’ bone marrow encapsulated in hydrogels to make replacement cartilage tissue in the laboratory. The technology may help the millions of Americans who suffer from osteoarthritis and cartilage injury.

What’s in a Footprint? A New Way to Probe Membrane Protein Structure: April 29, 2011
A new technology based on radiolytic labeling and mass spectrometry yielded the first high-resolution structural model of a potassium channel in open and closed positions. The model will improve scientists’ understanding of ion flow through potassium channels, a crucial component of heart and nerve function.

Next-Generation Nanoparticle Therapy: Delivering Just the Right Dose to the Right Place: March 30, 2011
Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School and MIT engineered a targeted nanoparticle platform that may improve chemotherapy effectiveness. The platform delivers higher amounts of drugs precisely where they are needed with fewer side effects.

Extending the Reach of Prenatal Ultrasound: February 28, 2011
Pregnant women in rural and underserved areas in the United States and overseas could benefit from access to low-cost ultrasound equipment. A new approach to making transducers developed by researchers at General Electric’s Global Research Center in Niskayuna, New York, has the potential to reduce ultrasound system costs and increase access to prenatal ultrasound.

In Vivo Microscopy – A Novel Low-Cost Approach to Cancer Screeing: January 31, 2011
Early detection can be a matter of life and death for a cancer patient. To make cancer screening accessible to more patients, Rice University scientists and collaborators designed a low-cost portable microendoscope that enables detecting cancerous tissue at the point of care. The device may also be used to direct physicians where to take a diagnostic biopsy, aid in prognosis, and monitor treatment.

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