Category Biology/Biotechnology

These are multi-pixel electroluminescent displays fabricated via replica molding. The device measures 5 mm thick, with each of the 64 pixels measuring 4 mm. It can be deformed and stretched in various ways. Credit: Science, Organic Robotics Lab at Cornell University

Imagine a health care robot that could display the patient’s temperature and pulse, and even reacts to a patient’s mood. It sounds futuristic, but a team of Cornell grad students – led by Assistant Prof. Rob Shepherd- has developed an electroluminescent “skin” that stretches to more than 6X its original size while still emitting light. The discovery could lead to significant advances in health care, transportation, electronic communication and other areas.

“This material can stretch with the body of a soft robot, and that’s wha...

sTREM2 cerebrospinal fluid levels are a potential biomarker for microglia activity in early-stage Alzheimer’s Disease and associate with neuronal injury markers

This secreted marker molecule, which can be measured from CSF taps, may provide clinicians with a rapidly detectable biomarker for the transition from preclinical Alzheimer’s disease to cognitive impairment and progression to full dementia. Such is the conclusion of a multi-center study on a large group of human patients, published online in EMBO Molecular Medicine.

Alzheimer’s disease, an increasing problem in today’s aging populations, is characterized by amyloid peptide plaques and tau protein aggregates in nerve cells...

OSKM-Induced XEN Cells Arise during Reprogramming

The stem cell discovery could also offer new ways to study birth defects and other reproductive problems. Tony Parenti, MSU cell and molecular biology graduate student, unearthed the new cells – induced XEN cells, or iXEN – in a cellular trash pile, of sorts. “Other scientists may have seen these cells before, but they were considered to be defective, or cancer-like,” said Parenti. “Rather than ignore these cells that have been mislabeled as waste byproducts, we found gold in the garbage.”

A great deal of stem cell research focuses on new ways to make and use pluripotent stem cells. Pluripotent stem cells can be created by reactivating embryonic genes to “reprogram” mature adult cells...

A computer in the lab of Miguel Nicolelis, M.D., Ph.D., monitors brain signals from a rhesus macaque. Nicolelis and Duke researchers record signals from hundreds of neurons in two regions of the monkeys’ brains that are involved in movement and sensation. As the animals think about moving toward their goal — in this case, a bowl containing fresh grapes — computers translate their brain activity into real-time operation of a wheelchair. Credit: Shawn Rocco/ Duke Health

Neuroscientists have developed a brain-machine interface (BMI) that allows primates to use only their thoughts to navigate a robotic wheelchair. The BMI uses signals from hundreds of neurons recorded simultaneously in 2 regions of the monkeys’ brains that are involved in movement and sensation...