Researchers from Northwestern University have developed a method to rewire immune cells by genetically modifying the cells to sense molecules secreted by tumors and respond by activating the immune system. The team’s work is described in a study published this month in Nature Chemical Biology. Although immunotherapy is growing in popularity among cancer researchers, tumors secrete […]
Research & Development
Researchers develop insulin-producing artificial beta cells
Researchers from ETH Zurich have developed artificial beta cells that can measure blood glucose concentration and respond by producing insulin. The team’s work was published this week in Science. The ETH researchers used the natural glucose transport proteins and potassium channels found in the membrane of human kidney cells and modified them with a voltage-dependent calcium channel, […]
Researchers use drug-loaded microneedles for transdermal delivery
Researchers from the Beijing University of Chemical Technology have developed a method to introduce a bubble-shaped microstructure into the base of drug-loaded dissolving microneedles for use as a transdermal drug delivery system. The team’s work was published today in Scientific Reports. Drug-loaded dissolving microneedles are made with water soluble polymers and are designed to overcome the barrier […]
Study finds medical skin glue can reduce IV drip failure
Researchers from the Caboolture Hospital in Queensland, Australia found that medical skin glue can be used to hold hospital intravenous lines in place, significantly reducing the risk of infection, pain, blockage or overall failure. The team’s work was published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine. The Emergency Medicine Foundation of Australia, along with Queensland Health, funded […]
SRI wins $150m grant to develop HIV prevention products
SRI International said today that it landed a $150 million contract from the National Institutes of Health‘s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Division of AIDS to support the development of HIV microbicides and other pre-exposure agents. According to the 7-year deal, the research institute will provide preclinical product development services for non-vaccine […]
Researchers develop targeted, photodynamic nanoparticles for tumor therapy
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School have developed photodynamic nanoparticles that can effectively target deep-tissue tumors. The team’s work was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. “This study signals a major step forward in photodynamic therapy by developing a new class of NIR-absorbing biodegradable organic nanoparticles for a highly effective […]
Researchers show drug, catheter combo speeds up labor delivery
Using the drug misoprostol in combination with a Foley balloon catheter to induce labor can lead to a speedier delivery, with women delivering several hours earlier than either method alone, according to research from the University of Pennsylvania. The team’s work was published in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Nearly 1 million women who deliver in the U.S. […]
Modification to delivery polymer sidesteps allergic response
Researchers from Duke University have reconfigured the popular drug-delivery polymer, polyethylene glycol, to sidestep dangerous immune responses that have previously halted clinical trials. The team’s work was published in Nature Biomedical Engineering. Polyethylene glycol, PEG, is a polymer that is found in toothpaste and cosmetics, but is often used in pharmaceuticals. It can be attached to […]
Virus-inspired drug delivery system travels cell to cell
Researchers from the University of Utah and the University of Washington have developed self-assembling nanocages that are packaged within cell membranes and exported to travel from cell to cell, delivering therapeutics. The team’s work was published in Nature. The drug delivery system is inspired by a mechanism used by viruses to spread their infectious materials among […]
Researchers develop method for storing vaccines at room temp
Researchers at Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne‘s Supramolecular Nanomaterials and Interfaces Laboratory claim they have developed methods for 3 vaccine additives to help store vaccines at room temperature. The team’s work was published in Nature Communications. The need to keep vaccines within a temperature range of 2-8°C contributes to low immunization-coverage rates, because shipping vaccines in […]