Research Highlights

Showcase of NIBIB-Supported Research: 2004

Wearable Robots Help with Stroke Rehabilitation: December 15, 2004
Robotic technology may accelerate the rehabilitation process and reduce the costs of physical therapy for individuals whose arms are paralyzed as a result of stroke.

Optical Probes May Improve Breast Biopsies: November 8, 2004
A new fiber optic probe plugs into a biopsy needle and takes advantage of the important differences between how malignant and benign tissue respond to light. The device may improve the accuracy of conventional needle biopsies.

Catch a (Brain) Wave: October 21, 2004
Hard wiring the brain? Almost. Brain computer interface technologies that capture electrical brain waves as individuals imagine performing certain activities and translate the waves into computer commands will soon allow patients to operate word-processing programs, and perhaps even electric wheelchairs or robotic arms.

The Amazing Disappearing Stent: September 21, 2004
A biodegradable polymer may reduce the extent of arterial injuries and repeat blockage seen with rigid metal stents used to treat coronary artery disease.

Cartilage Heal Thyself: August 2, 2004
A liquid polymer gel that can be poured into torn cartilage tissue may offer a new approach to healing worn out joints. Tested on rabbits, the gel adapts to the shape of the tear and becomes the scaffolding for the body’s own cartilage cells to make new tissue.

Designer Bones: June 16, 2004
In the future, a patient in need of a new bone or bone section may be able to have one made using a mold, a gel solution, and a few drops of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). These versatile precursor cells, found in bone marrow and fat tissue, can transform into different cell types, including bone, cartilage, and skeletal muscle.

Integrated Imaging May Improve Epilepsy Surgery: April 27, 2004
Shorter epilepsy surgery times may result from a new imaging system that integrates information about brain anatomy, biochemistry, electrical activity, and blood flow and may allow surgeons to more precisely pinpoint, and then remove, damaged brain tissue that causes seizures.

Brain Scans on the Move: March 23, 2004
A miniature implantable pump may broaden the range of behaviors that scientist can study using brain imaging techniques. The pump infuses detectable tracer molecules into the bloodstream of laboratory rats engaged in specific behaviors. Activated brain regions are revealed by the distribution of tracer molecules during or just after a behavior.

Quantum Dots Could Guide Surgeons: February 11, 2004
Nanometer-sized crystals called quantum dots that emit light at specific wavelengths when illuminated may one day assist doctors’ efforts to assess and treat cancer patients. The dots may help illuminate sentinel lymph nodes and eliminate the need for multiple biopsies in breast cancer patients.

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