Category Biology/Biotechnology

Artist’s concept of a stingray soft robot. (Image: UCLA)

UCLA bioengineering professor Ali Khademhosseini has led the development of a tissue-based soft robot that mimics the biomechanics of a stingray. The new technology could lead to advances in bio-inspired robotics, regenerative medicine and medical diagnostics. The simple body design of stingrays, specifically, a flattened body shape and side fins that start at the head and end at the base of their tail, makes them ideal to model bio-electromechanical systems on.

The 10-millimeter long robot is made up of four layers: tissue composed of live heart cells, two distinct types of specialized biomaterials for structural support, and flexible electrodes...

A thermal image of a localized cooled heart. The dark spot at the bottom is the cooled part. Credit: Catharina Hospital Eindhoven

Cardiologists at the Catharina hospital in Eindhoven have succeeded in the localized cooling of the heart during a heart attack, a world first. By cooling part of the heart prior to and following angioplasty, the cardiologists believe that the damage from a heart attack can be limited. The innovative new procedure was co-developed with scientists of the university in Eindhoven and the company LifeTec Group, a university spin-off.

“We have demonstrated in 10 patients that it is technically possible to cool part of the heart safely during a heart attack,” says cardiologist/intensivist Luuk Otterspoor...

The esophagus-growing robotic implant. Credit: Damian et al., Sci. Robot. 3, eaaq0018 (2018)

Mechanical pull stimulates stunted hollow organs to grow; could help treat defects like esophageal atresia and short bowel syndrome. An implanted, programmable medical robot can gradually lengthen tubular organs by applying traction forces – stimulating tissue growth in stunted organs without interfering with organ function or causing apparent discomfort, report researchers at Boston Children’s Hospital.

The robotic system induced cell proliferation and lengthened part of the esophagus in a large animal by about 75% while the animal remained awake and mobile...

Bowl of muesli/oats is full of fiber which can be broken down by the microbiome in SCFAs. Short-chain fatty acids regulate systemic bone mass and protect from pathological bone loss. Nature Communications, 2018; 9 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02490-4

Fiber affects Autoimmune diseases. It is well known that healthy eating increases our general sense of wellbeing. Researchers at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) have now discovered that a fibre-rich diet can have a positive influence on chronic inflammatory joint diseases, leading to stronger bones. The key to the effect our diet has on our health are intestinal bacteria.

Every adult carries ~2kg of benign bacteria in their intestines...