Researchers have created a smart wound dressing that can sense when harmful bacteria are present and respond by releasing antibiotics only when needed. Biomedical engineers at Brown University have created a wound dressing that releases antibiotics only when harmful bacteria are detected. In a new study, the team found that the material may quickly eliminate [...]

Researchers are replacing rigid silicon-based AI hardware with stretchable, neuromorphic electronics that mimic how the brain processes information, opening new possibilities for long-term human-machine integration. Modern artificial intelligence can outperform humans in tasks ranging from image recognition to medical data analysis, but there is one environment where today’s hardware still…

A newly developed biomaterial derived from natural and pharmaceutical components is showing promise as a potential treatment for periodontitis. What if a fruit best known for its massive size could help repair the damage caused by one of the world’s most common causes of tooth loss? Researchers in Brazil have developed an experimental biomaterial that [...]

MRI scans often have difficulty producing clear images of deep or delicate tissues. Researchers at the Max Delbrück Center report that a new lightweight antenna can improve image quality and may reduce scan times without requiring changes to existing MRI machines. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is among the most important tools doctors use to diagnose [...]

Natural extracts from turmeric and ginger enhance implant bonding, fight infection, and reduce cancer cells, offering a promising improvement for medical implants. An extract made from turmeric and ginger may help bone implants attach more securely while also eliminating bacteria and cancer cells, according to new research from Washington State University. The findings could benefit [...]

Researchers created a fast 3D-printing method for zirconia dental restorations by cutting debinding time to under 30 minutes, enabling same-day, high-strength, customized crowns. The crown jewel of dental restoration technology may be in sight. Researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas have developed a way to 3D print permanent zirconia dental restorations in a [...]

A new RNA-based therapy aims to address one of cardiology’s most persistent challenges: the heart’s inability to regenerate after injury. After a heart attack, restoring blood flow is often only part of the battle. Even when blocked arteries are reopened, the heart is left with permanent damage because lost muscle cells do not grow back. [...]

Scientists are exploring DNA-based robots, tiny molecular machines that could one day navigate the body, deliver targeted therapies, and even build nanoscale technologies. DNA is best known as the molecule that carries genetic information, but scientists are also turning it into a building material for tiny robots. These experimental machines are designed to operate at [...]

A tiny implant may give cancer-fighting immune cells the boost they need to keep working longer. Immunotherapy has changed cancer care by turning the immune system into a weapon against disease. But there is a major weakness in that strategy: many lab-engineered immune cells lose momentum soon after they enter the body. That problem is [...]

A bandage-like microneedle patch can noninvasively collect immune cells and signals from the skin within minutes to hours. Early tests suggest it could transform how immune responses are monitored. Researchers at The Jackson Laboratory (JAX), working with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), created the first bandage-like microneedle patch designed to sample immune activity directly…

A new study suggests that suppressing a cellular enzyme long considered protective against fatty liver disease could have unexpected long-term consequences. Scientists have uncovered a troubling tradeoff in the liver. An enzyme called Caspase-2 has attracted attention as a possible target for fatty liver disease, but new evidence suggests shutting it down could make the [...]

A small metabolic tweak may unlock the full potential of RNA medicines. Lipid nanoparticles, or LNPs, are best known as the delivery system used in the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines given to billions of people worldwide. Scientists are now exploring their potential far beyond vaccines. Researchers hope to use these particles to carry therapeutic mRNA into [...]

Scientists have developed a new DNA origami–based vaccine platform called DoriVac that could rival mRNA vaccines while being easier to manufacture and store. Early studies show it can trigger strong immune responses against viruses like SARS-CoV-2, HIV, and Ebola. The COVID-19 pandemic pushed messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines into the spotlight of global health. After completing [...]

Inspired by how bones heal naturally, researchers have engineered a laser-structured hydrogel that could one day replace conventional bone implants. Bones fractured in a (skiing) accident often mend without medical intervention. However, when a break is especially severe, or a bone tumor must be surgically removed, doctors may place an implant to stabilize the area [...]

Scientists have engineered a lab-on-a-chip system capable of applying precisely controlled mechanical forces to biological materials that mimic the extracellular matrix. Inside the body, cells are surrounded by intricate three-dimensional scaffolds called the extracellular matrix. The physical interactions between cells and this surrounding structure are essential for many biological functions.…

A new light-based imaging approach has produced an unprecedented chemical map of the Alzheimer’s brain. Rice University researchers have produced what they describe as the first full, label-free molecular atlas of an Alzheimer’s brain in an animal model. In simple terms, they created a brain-wide “chemical map” that can help scientists study where the disease [...]

An artificial lung system sustained a patient for 48 hours without lungs, enabling a life-saving double transplant and highlighting the need for earlier intervention in severe ARDS. People cannot survive without lungs. Yet one of Ankit Bharat’s patients did so for two full days. In a study published in the Cell Press journal Med, surgeons [...]

Scientists report that reshaping zinc oxide particles may reduce the white residue common in mineral sunscreens. UCLA scientists have created a new mineral sunscreen formula designed to reduce the white, chalky residue that often discourages people from using sun protection every day. Health experts have long advised applying sunscreen daily to shield skin from ultraviolet [...]

Even as cells split, the genome quietly holds on to its structure and its memory. Before a cell can split into two, it must first copy all of its chromosomes so that each daughter cell receives a complete set of genetic instructions. For a long time, scientists believed that during this process, the genome temporarily [...]