Life Sciences

IDTechEx Technology Analyst Dr Nadia Tsao attended the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) World Congress 2018. The event was held between September 5 - 7, 2018 at the Kyoto International Conference Center in Kyoto, Japan. The World Congress is held every 3 years - chapter meetings (Europe, Americas, Asia Pacific) are held in the intervening years.

Scientists have developed a new type of biosensor able to precisely quantify metabolites using a single drop of blood. The accuracy and simplicity of the procedure could make it a tool of choice for diagnosing and monitoring several diseases.

A new point-of-care rapid-sensing device can detect a key marker of eye injury in minutes - a time frame crucial to treating eye trauma.

Scientists have developed a new bioadhesive, wirelessly-powered light-emitting device which could better treat cancers in delicate organs.

It can't be seen with a human eye. But, nevertheless, it is a robot (all 120nm of it) and its creators are now world record holders in the Guinness World Records for creating the Smallest Medical Robot.

A new wearable ultrasound patch that non-invasively monitors blood pressure in arteries deep beneath the skin could help people detect cardiovascular problems earlier on and with greater precision. In tests, the patch performed as well as some clinical methods to measure blood pressure.

Technology Analyst, Dr Nadia Tsao, discusses reconstructive skin modelling with Dr Maïté Rielland, L'Oréal, who is focused on bioprinting human skin models for cosmetic evaluation.

In recent years, machine learning has been championed as a useful aid for diagnostics. Machine-learning models, for instance, have been developed that can detect words and intonations of speech that may indicate depression.

A team has come up with a portable biosensor that can measure the amount of vancomycin in a patient's blood stream, enabling doctors to better control the dosage and reduce harmful side effects. Their technology could eventually be used for other antibiotics as well.

Organic light-emitting diodes are mainly known from televisions and smartphone displays. They can be used as lighting objects in car tail lights or lights. Researchers are now presenting OLED elements that can be integrated into textiles.