❤️ Health Tech
Health Tech, or digital health, helps us understand and take control of our own health. But we also cover more traditional health news like medicines, vaccines and medical procedures.
🩸 New blood testing technology becomes reality, despite the Theranos scandal
Companies develop working alternatives to traditional blood tests with large needles. Finger-prick methods can now be used for routine medical tests in Austin. New technology reduces discomfort and facilitates sample collection for patients. This time without fraud.
⚕️ New treatment for Parkinson's enters clinical trial
Researchers have developed a cell therapy that can replace lost dopamine-producing neurons. The treatment has shown promising results in studies on primates. Clinical trials on humans have now begun.
🦾 AI-designed proteins work in stem cell study
AI-designed proteins have successfully transformed stem cells into blood vessel cells. The proteins helped build regenerative tissues and worked in animal transplants. The technology can potentially be used to repair damaged tissue and treat diseases.
🧫 They win the $10 million Longitude Prize – combating superbugs
Swedish-Japenese Sysmex Astrego has won the Longitude Prize of $10 million for its rapid test of bacterial infections. The test reduces the time to determine the correct antibiotic from three days to less than 45 minutes, and can be used directly at the first doctor's visit.
🦠 AI discovers nearly 1 million new antibiotics - progress in the fight against antibiotic resistance
Researchers used AI to analyze genetic data from tens of thousands of bacteria and other organisms. Nearly one million potential antibiotic compounds were identified, with 79% able to kill at least one microbe. AI has drastically accelerated the process.
🧠 Frozen brain tissue can now be revived without damage - enables research
Researchers have successfully frozen and revived brain tissue without damage. This can lead to better studies of brain development. The experiments showed that the tissue maintained its structure and function after thawing, even after being frozen for 18 months.
🧠 Neuralink's first patient can control a computer with his mind
Noland Arbaugh can now control a computer with his thoughts thanks to Elon Musk's brain implant from Neuralink. Despite his paralysis, Arbaugh has been able to play computer games and communicate online.
🧏 She was deaf at birth, 18-month-old Opal Sandy had her hearing restored after a world-unique gene therapy.
The treatment involved a 16-minute operation where she received a functional copy of a gene that is crucial for hearing. The gene has made her hearing almost completely restored. Opal Sandy can now hear sounds as soft as a whisper.
🅾️ Blood types can become mutually compatible
Scientists have developed a method using enzymes from gut bacteria to convert blood types A and B into the universal donor blood type O. This opens the possibility that all blood types can become universal donors.