Gori and colleagues used prime editing to correct the mutation behind p47phox-deficient chronic granulomatous disease in two patients' own stem cells (PM359); working NADPH oxidase activity appeared in their neutrophils within a month and lasted through follow-up.
Built / tested: PM359
As reported in: Gori, Haddad, Frangoul et al. (2026). Prime Editing for p47 phox -Deficient Chronic Granulomatous Disease. New England Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1056/nejmoa2509807
Frangoul and colleagues reported that 29 of 30 evaluable patients treated with exa-cel were free of severe vaso-occlusive crises for at least 12 consecutive months.
Built / tested: exa-cel (Casgevy)
As reported in: Frangoul, Locatelli, Sharma et al. (2024). Exagamglogene Autotemcel for Severe Sickle Cell Disease. New England Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2309676
Locatelli and colleagues reported that 32 of 35 evaluable patients with transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia (91%) became transfusion independent after exa-cel.
Built / tested: exa-cel (Casgevy)
As reported in: Locatelli, Lang, Wall et al. (2024). Exagamglogene Autotemcel for Transfusion-Dependent β-Thalassemia. New England Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2309673
Pierce and colleagues ran a phase 1–2 study injecting EDIT-101 under the retina of 12 adults and 2 children with CEP290-associated inherited retinal degeneration (a form of LCA10), with safety as the primary outcome.
Built / tested: EDIT-101
As reported in: Pierce, Aleman, Jayasundera et al. (2024). Gene Editing for CEP290 -Associated Retinal Degeneration. New England Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2309915
Liu and colleagues used a neural network to find abaucin, a narrow-spectrum antibiotic against Acinetobacter baumannii that disrupts lipoprotein trafficking.
As reported in: Liu, Catacutan, Rathod et al. (2023). Deep learning-guided discovery of an antibiotic targeting Acinetobacter baumannii. Nature Chemical Biology. doi:10.1038/s41589-023-01349-8
Willett and colleagues decoded attempted speech from intracortical arrays in a person with ALS at 62 words per minute, with a 9.1% word error rate on a 50-word vocabulary and 23.8% on a 125,000-word vocabulary.
As reported in: Willett, Kunz, Fan et al. (2023). A high-performance speech neuroprosthesis. Nature. doi:10.1038/s41586-023-06377-x
Metzger and colleagues decoded brain surface recordings from a woman with severe paralysis into text (median 78 words per minute, 25% word error rate), synthesized speech in her pre-injury voice, and a facial avatar.
As reported in: Metzger, Littlejohn, Silva et al. (2023). A high-performance neuroprosthesis for speech decoding and avatar control. Nature. doi:10.1038/s41586-023-06443-4
Lorach and colleagues linked brain implants to spinal cord stimulation so a man with chronic tetraplegia could stand, walk and climb stairs; it stayed reliable for a year, and he could walk with crutches even with it switched off.
As reported in: Lorach, Galvez, Spagnolo et al. (2023). Walking naturally after spinal cord injury using a brain–spine interface. Nature. doi:10.1038/s41586-023-06094-5
Rubin and colleagues reported 14 BrainGate participants implanted 2004–2021 with 12,203 days of combined experience; there were 68 device-related adverse events, including 6 serious ones.
Built / tested: BrainGate
As reported in: Rubin, Ajiboye, Barefoot et al. (2023). Interim Safety Profile From the Feasibility Study of the BrainGate Neural Interface System. Neurology. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000201707
A comprehensive review of collagen type I biomaterials for tissue engineering, from biosynthesis to scaffolds.
As reported in: Amirrah, Lokanathan, Zulkiflee et al. (2022). A Comprehensive Review on Collagen Type I Development of Biomaterials for Tissue Engineering: From Biosynthesis to Bioscaffold. Biomedicines. doi:10.3390/biomedicines10092307
Willett and colleagues decoded imagined handwriting into text at about 90 characters per minute.
As reported in: Willett, Avansino, Hochberg et al. (2021). High-performance brain-to-text communication via handwriting. Nature. doi:10.1038/s41586-021-03506-2
First CRISPR patients with sickle cell and beta-thalassemia
Frangoul and colleagues edited the BCL11A enhancer in patients' own blood stem cells; more than a year after infusion, one patient with beta-thalassemia and one with sickle cell disease had raised fetal hemoglobin, no longer needed transfusions, and (in sickle cell) had no pain crises.
Built / tested: exa-cel (Casgevy)
As reported in: Frangoul, Altshuler, Cappellini et al. (2021). CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing for Sickle Cell Disease and β-Thalassemia. New England Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2031054
Gillmore and colleagues gave six patients with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis a single infusion of NTLA-2001, which edits the TTR gene in the liver; serum TTR fell by a mean of 52% at the lower dose and 87% at the higher dose by day 28, with mostly mild side effects.
Built / tested: NTLA-2001
As reported in: Gillmore, Gane, Taubel et al. (2021). CRISPR-Cas9 In Vivo Gene Editing for Transthyretin Amyloidosis. New England Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2107454
Musunuru and colleagues used lipid nanoparticles to deliver an adenine base editor that switched off PCSK9 in monkey livers; blood PCSK9 fell about 90% and LDL cholesterol about 60%, stable for at least 8 months after one dose.
Built / tested: VERVE-101
As reported in: Musunuru, Chadwick, Mizoguchi et al. (2021). In vivo CRISPR base editing of PCSK9 durably lowers cholesterol in primates. Nature. doi:10.1038/s41586-021-03534-y
Utarini and colleagues ran a cluster-randomized trial in Yogyakarta, Indonesia; releasing wMel-carrying mosquitoes gave 77.1% protective efficacy against confirmed dengue and 86.2% against dengue hospitalization.
Built / tested: wMel mosquito releases
As reported in: Utarini, Indriani, Ahmad et al. (2021). Efficacy of Wolbachia-Infected Mosquito Deployments for the Control of Dengue. New England Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2030243
Stokes and colleagues trained a deep neural network that identified halicin, structurally unlike known antibiotics, which killed a wide range of pathogens and treated C. difficile and pan-resistant A. baumannii infections in mice.
Oxley and colleagues implanted the Synchron Stentrode through a vein into the brain's superior sagittal sinus in two people with ALS, who used it at home with an eye tracker to type and control Windows; one reached 92.63% click accuracy.
Built / tested: Stentrode
As reported in: Oxley, Yoo, Rind et al. (2020). Motor neuroprosthesis implanted with neurointerventional surgery improves capacity for activities of daily living tasks in severe paralysis: first in-human experience. Journal of NeuroInterventional Surgery. doi:10.1136/neurintsurg-2020-016862
Silk fibroin/gelatin microcarriers used as scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.
Built / tested: microcarriers
As reported in: Luetchford, Chaudhuri, De Bank (2020). Silk fibroin/gelatin microcarriers as scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Materials Science and Engineering: C. doi:10.1016/j.msec.2019.110116
Polack and colleagues reported the safety and efficacy trial of the BNT162b2 lipid-nanoparticle mRNA COVID-19 vaccine.
Built / tested: mRNA vaccine
As reported in: Polack, Thomas, Kitchin et al. (2020). Safety and Efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 Vaccine. New England Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa2034577
Mitchell and colleagues reviewed advances in nanoparticle design that overcome barriers to delivery.
As reported in: Mitchell, Billingsley, Haley et al. (2020). Engineering precision nanoparticles for drug delivery. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery. doi:10.1038/s41573-020-0090-8
Wang, Tai and Gao reviewed AAV as a platform for gene therapy delivery.
As reported in: Wang, Tai, Gao (2019). Adeno-associated virus vector as a platform for gene therapy delivery. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery. doi:10.1038/s41573-019-0012-9
Garrett-Bakelman and colleagues compared an astronaut during a year on the ISS with his identical twin on Earth and found changes including telomere lengthening, gene-expression and microbiome changes and some post-flight cognitive decline; most returned near baseline within 6 months.
As reported in: Garrett-Bakelman, Darshi, Green et al. (2019). The NASA Twins Study: A multidimensional analysis of a year-long human spaceflight. Science. doi:10.1126/science.aau8650
Cryan and colleagues reviewed evidence that gut microbes communicate with the brain via the immune system, tryptophan metabolism, the vagus nerve and the enteric nervous system.
As reported in: Cryan, O'Riordan, Cowan et al. (2019). The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis. Physiological Reviews. doi:10.1152/physrev.00018.2018
A plant-inspired adhesive and tough hydrogel built around silver-lignin nanoparticles that drive catechol chemistry.
Built / tested: hydrogels
As reported in: Gan, Xing, Jiang et al. (2019). Plant-inspired adhesive and tough hydrogel based on Ag-Lignin nanoparticles-triggered dynamic redox catechol chemistry. Nature Communications. doi:10.1038/s41467-019-09351-2
Dedrick and colleagues used genetically engineered phages to treat a teenager with a drug-resistant Mycobacterium infection.
Built / tested: engineered phage cocktail
As reported in: Dedrick, Guerrero-Bustamante, Garlena et al. (2019). Engineered bacteriophages for treatment of a patient with a disseminated drug-resistant Mycobacterium abscessus. Nature Medicine. doi:10.1038/s41591-019-0437-z
Jault and colleagues ran a clinical trial of a phage cocktail on infected burn wounds; it worked more slowly than standard care.
As reported in: Jault, Leclerc, Jennes et al. (2019). Efficacy and tolerability of a cocktail of bacteriophages to treat burn wounds infected by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PhagoBurn): a randomised, controlled, double-blind phase 1/2 trial. The Lancet Infectious Diseases. doi:10.1016/S1473-3099(18)30482-1
Kortright and colleagues reviewed phage therapy as a renewed approach to antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
As reported in: Kortright, Chan, Koff et al. (2019). Phage Therapy: A Renewed Approach to Combat Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria. Cell Host & Microbe. doi:10.1016/j.chom.2019.01.014
Collagen-alginate used as a bioink for 3D cell printing in cartilage tissue engineering.
Built / tested: bioinks
As reported in: Yang, Lu, Wu et al. (2018). Collagen-alginate as bioink for three-dimensional (3D) cell printing based cartilage tissue engineering. Materials Science and Engineering: C. doi:10.1016/j.msec.2017.09.002
A short review of nanohydroxyapatite as a coating for dental implants.
As reported in: Yazdani, Ahmadian, Sharifi et al. (2018). A short view on nanohydroxyapatite as coating of dental implants. Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy. doi:10.1016/j.biopha.2018.06.013
Welch and colleagues showed 2 mJ/cm² of 222 nm far-UVC inactivated over 95% of airborne H1N1 influenza virus; it cannot penetrate the outer dead layers of skin or eye.
As reported in: Welch, Buonanno, Grilj et al. (2018). Far-UVC light: A new tool to control the spread of airborne-mediated microbial diseases. Scientific Reports. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-21058-w
HogenEsch, O'Hagan and Fox reviewed aluminium-containing adjuvants, used for over 90 years to strengthen immune responses to vaccines, and argued they should stay the benchmark for comparing new adjuvants.
As reported in: HogenEsch, O’Hagan, Fox (2018). Optimizing the utilization of aluminum adjuvants in vaccines: you might just get what you want. npj Vaccines. doi:10.1038/s41541-018-0089-x
Russell and colleagues reported the phase 3 trial of an AAV gene therapy for RPE65 blindness, later approved as Luxturna.
Built / tested: Luxturna
As reported in: Russell, Bennett, Wellman et al. (2017). Efficacy and safety of voretigene neparvovec (AAV2-hRPE65v2) in patients with RPE65 -mediated inherited retinal dystrophy: a randomised, controlled, open-label, phase 3 trial. The Lancet. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(17)31868-8
Mendell and colleagues gave infants with SMA a single AAV gene-replacement dose, greatly improving survival.
Built / tested: onasemnogene (Zolgensma)
As reported in: Mendell, Al-Zaidy, Shell et al. (2017). Single-Dose Gene-Replacement Therapy for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. New England Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1706198
Mandai and colleagues reported transplanting a sheet of retinal cells grown from a patient's own iPS cells in a patient with macular degeneration; after a year the sheet was intact and vision had neither improved nor worsened.
Built / tested: retinal pigment epithelium sheet
As reported in: Mandai, Watanabe, Kurimoto et al. (2017). Autologous Induced Stem-Cell–Derived Retinal Cells for Macular Degeneration. New England Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1608368
As reported in: Wang, Hao, Luo et al. (2017). Feather keratin hydrogel for wound repair: Preparation, healing effect and biocompatibility evaluation. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces. doi:10.1016/j.colsurfb.2016.10.038
Hirsch and colleagues regrew most of a boy's skin using genetically corrected stem cells for the blistering disease epidermolysis bullosa.
Built / tested: transgenic epidermis grafts
As reported in: Hirsch, Rothoeft, Teig et al. (2017). Regeneration of the entire human epidermis using transgenic stem cells. Nature. doi:10.1038/nature24487
As reported in: Schooley, Biswas, Gill et al. (2017). Development and Use of Personalized Bacteriophage-Based Therapeutic Cocktails To Treat a Patient with a Disseminated Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Infection. Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. doi:10.1128/AAC.00954-17
Mukhopadhyay and colleagues reanalysed published gene-expression data from human cells in microgravity and identified about 100 shared pathways, many linked to reduced inflammation and immunity.
As reported in: Mukhopadhyay, Saha, Palanisamy et al. (2016). A systems biology pipeline identifies new immune and disease related molecular signatures and networks in human cells during microgravity exposure. Scientific Reports. doi:10.1038/srep25975
Gholipourmalekabadi and colleagues reviewed oxygen-generating biomaterials for tissue engineering.
As reported in: Gholipourmalekabadi, Zhao, Harrison et al. (2016). Oxygen-Generating Biomaterials: A New, Viable Paradigm for Tissue Engineering?. Trends in Biotechnology. doi:10.1016/j.tibtech.2016.05.012
Durante and Paganetti reviewed particle therapy: ions deposit more energy along their path, sparing normal tissue compared with photons, but it remains controversial due to high cost and lack of comparative trials.
As reported in: Durante, Paganetti (2016). Nuclear physics in particle therapy: a review. Reports on Progress in Physics. doi:10.1088/0034-4885/79/9/096702
Elias and colleagues ran a randomized trial in 76 patients: MRI-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy cut hand-tremor scores from 18.1 to 9.6 at 3 months, versus almost no change with sham, and the benefit held at 12 months.
As reported in: Elias, Lipsman, Ondo et al. (2016). A Randomized Trial of Focused Ultrasound Thalamotomy for Essential Tremor. New England Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1600159
Bosshardt, Chappuis and Buser reviewed how bone heals onto titanium, titanium-zirconium and zirconia dental implants; micro-rough surfaces speed bone bonding (osseointegration) on titanium, and surface changes also affect how fast zirconia implants integrate.
As reported in: Bosshardt, Chappuis, Buser (2016). Osseointegration of titanium, titanium alloy and zirconia dental implants: current knowledge and open questions. Periodontology 2000. doi:10.1111/prd.12179
Minev and colleagues made a soft implant that matches spinal tissue and worked long term in rats.
Built / tested: e-dura
As reported in: Minev, Musienko, Hirsch et al. (2015). Electronic dura mater for long-term multimodal neural interfaces. Science. doi:10.1126/science.1260318
Errico and colleagues used ultrafast ultrasound to track gas microbubbles in blood, producing super-resolution images of microvessels deep in the body, analogous to optical localization microscopy.
As reported in: Errico, Pierre, Pezet et al. (2015). Ultrafast ultrasound localization microscopy for deep super-resolution vascular imaging. Nature. doi:10.1038/nature16066
Dagdeviren and colleagues built flexible piezoelectric harvesters sewn onto the heart, lung and diaphragm of animals, converting organ motion to electricity at about 2% efficiency.
As reported in: Dagdeviren, Yang, Su et al. (2014). Conformal piezoelectric energy harvesting and storage from motions of the heart, lung, and diaphragm. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. doi:10.1073/pnas.1317233111
Dasari and Tchounwou reviewed how cisplatin damages cancer cell DNA.
As reported in: Dasari, Bernard Tchounwou (2014). Cisplatin in cancer therapy: Molecular mechanisms of action. European Journal of Pharmacology. doi:10.1016/j.ejphar.2014.07.025
Collinger and colleagues reported smooth multi-direction control of a prosthetic arm by a woman with tetraplegia.
As reported in: Collinger, Wodlinger, Downey et al. (2013). High-performance neuroprosthetic control by an individual with tetraplegia. The Lancet. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61816-9
Salgado and colleagues found copper surfaces in ICU rooms lowered hospital-acquired infection rates in a clinical trial.
Built / tested: copper hospital surfaces
As reported in: Salgado, Sepkowitz, John et al. (2013). Copper Surfaces Reduce the Rate of Healthcare-Acquired Infections in the Intensive Care Unit. Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. doi:10.1086/670207
Chitosan scaffolds containing chicken feather keratin nanoparticles for bone tissue engineering.
Built / tested: scaffolds
As reported in: Saravanan, Sameera, Moorthi et al. (2013). Chitosan scaffolds containing chicken feather keratin nanoparticles for bone tissue engineering. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2013.09.034
Allen and Cullis reviewed liposomal drug delivery from concept to clinic.
Built / tested: liposomal drugs
As reported in: Allen, Cullis (2013). Liposomal drug delivery systems: From concept to clinical applications. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. doi:10.1016/j.addr.2012.09.037
In a phase 3 trial in low-to-intermediate-risk acute promyelocytic leukemia, all-trans retinoic acid plus arsenic trioxide gave 97% two-year event-free survival versus 86% with retinoic acid plus chemotherapy, with less blood toxicity but more liver toxicity.
As reported in: Lo-Coco, Avvisati, Vignetti et al. (2013). Retinoic Acid and Arsenic Trioxide for Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia. New England Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1056/nejmoa1300874
Hochberg and colleagues showed people with tetraplegia reaching and grasping with a robotic arm controlled by brain signals.
As reported in: Hochberg, Bacher, Jarosiewicz et al. (2012). Reach and grasp by people with tetraplegia using a neurally controlled robotic arm. Nature. doi:10.1038/nature11076
Porous silica microshells from diatoms as a biocarrier for drug delivery.
Built / tested: microcarriers
As reported in: Aw, Simovic, Yu et al. (2012). Porous silica microshells from diatoms as biocarrier for drug delivery applications. Powder Technology. doi:10.1016/j.powtec.2011.04.023
Douglas, Bachelet and Church built a DNA nanorobot that opens to deliver molecular payloads only when aptamer logic gates sense the right cell-surface cues.
As reported in: Douglas, Bachelet, Church (2012). A Logic-Gated Nanorobot for Targeted Transport of Molecular Payloads. Science. doi:10.1126/science.1214081
Baskar and colleagues reviewed radiotherapy, received by about 50% of cancer patients and contributing to about 40% of curative cancer treatment.
As reported in: Baskar, Lee, Yeo et al. (2012). Cancer and Radiation Therapy: Current Advances and Future Directions. International Journal of Medical Sciences. doi:10.7150/ijms.3635
The Human Microbiome Project Consortium found the microbes of each body habitat vary widely even among healthy people, while the metabolic pathways they carry stay stable.
As reported in: (2012). Structure, function and diversity of the healthy human microbiome. Nature. doi:10.1038/nature11234
Pedraza and colleagues used an oxygen-generating material to protect insulin-producing cells from low oxygen.
As reported in: Pedraza, Coronel, Fraker et al. (2012). Preventing hypoxia-induced cell death in beta cells and islets via hydrolytically activated, oxygen-generating biomaterials. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. doi:10.1073/pnas.1113560109
Giarratana and colleagues injected a small dose of lab-grown red blood cells into a volunteer as a proof of principle; the cells survived in circulation.
As reported in: Giarratana, Rouard, Dumont et al. (2011). Proof of principle for transfusion of in vitro–generated red blood cells. Blood. doi:10.1182/blood-2011-06-362038
Dimitriou and colleagues reviewed current approaches to bone regeneration, including grafts, scaffolds and growth factors.
As reported in: Dimitriou, Jones, McGonagle et al. (2011). Bone regeneration: current concepts and future directions. BMC Medicine. doi:10.1186/1741-7015-9-66
Grass, Rensing, and Solioz reviewed how metallic copper kills microbes on contact.
As reported in: Grass, Rensing, Solioz (2011). Metallic Copper as an Antimicrobial Surface. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. doi:10.1128/AEM.02766-10
Thaler, Arnott and Goodale found that in two blind echolocation experts, listening to click-echoes activated visual (calcarine) cortex, with no echo-related difference in auditory cortex.
As reported in: Thaler, Arnott, Goodale (2011). Neural Correlates of Natural Human Echolocation in Early and Late Blind Echolocation Experts. PLoS ONE. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0020162
Chung and colleagues reviewed low-level laser (light) therapy.
As reported in: Chung, Dai, Sharma et al. (2011). The Nuts and Bolts of Low-level Laser (Light) Therapy. Annals of Biomedical Engineering. doi:10.1007/s10439-011-0454-7
Agostinis and colleagues reviewed PDT: a light-activated photosensitizer kills tumour cells, damages tumour vessels and triggers inflammation, and can be curative in early tumours.
As reported in: Agostinis, Berg, Cengel et al. (2011). Photodynamic therapy of cancer: An update. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. doi:10.3322/caac.20114
Walker and colleagues introduced the wMel Wolbachia strain into Aedes aegypti mosquitoes; it blocked dengue, caused the reproductive effect cytoplasmic incompatibility with minimal apparent cost, and spread through caged populations.
As reported in: Walker, Johnson, Moreira et al. (2011). The wMel Wolbachia strain blocks dengue and invades caged Aedes aegypti populations. Nature. doi:10.1038/nature10355
In a phase 3 trial at 39 European sites, 10-day quadruple therapy (omeprazole plus one capsule of bismuth subcitrate potassium, metronidazole and tetracycline) gave superior H. pylori eradication to 7-day clarithromycin-based triple therapy, with similar safety.
As reported in: Malfertheiner, Bazzoli, Delchier et al. (2011). Helicobacter pylori eradication with a capsule containing bismuth subcitrate potassium, metronidazole, and tetracycline given with omeprazole versus clarithromycin-based triple therapy: a randomised, open-label, non-inferiority, phase 3 trial. The Lancet. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(11)60020-2
Measured how mean pore size affects cell attachment, growth and migration in collagen-glycosaminoglycan scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.
Built / tested: scaffolds
As reported in: Murphy, Haugh, O'Brien (2010). The effect of mean pore size on cell attachment, proliferation and migration in collagen–glycosaminoglycan scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Biomaterials. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2009.09.063
Savile and colleagues evolved a transaminase enzyme to make the drug sitagliptin, replacing a metal-catalysed step in manufacturing.
Built / tested: pharmaceutical manufacturing process
As reported in: Savile, Janey, Mundorff et al. (2010). Biocatalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Chiral Amines from Ketones Applied to Sitagliptin Manufacture. Science. doi:10.1126/science.1188934
Kong and colleagues gave an introductory review of plasma medicine.
As reported in: Kong, Kroesen, Morfill et al. (2009). Plasma medicine: an introductory review. New Journal of Physics. doi:10.1088/1367-2630/11/11/115012
Horcajada and colleagues showed porous nano-MOFs as possible drug delivery carriers.
As reported in: Horcajada, Chalati, Serre et al. (2009). Porous metal–organic-framework nanoscale carriers as a potential platform for drug delivery and imaging. Nature Materials. doi:10.1038/nmat2608
Rai and colleagues reviewed silver nanoparticles as a new generation of antimicrobials.
Built / tested: antimicrobial coatings
As reported in: Rai, Yadav, Gade (2009). Silver nanoparticles as a new generation of antimicrobials. Biotechnology Advances. doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2008.09.002
Geetha and colleagues reviewed why titanium-based alloys are a leading choice for hip, knee, and other orthopedic implants.
Built / tested: orthopedic implants
As reported in: Geetha, Singh, Asokamani et al. (2009). Ti based biomaterials, the ultimate choice for orthopaedic implants – A review. Progress in Materials Science. doi:10.1016/j.pmatsci.2008.06.004
Maguire and colleagues delivered a working RPE65 gene by AAV to three patients with Leber congenital amaurosis; it appeared safe and gave modest improvements in retinal function.
As reported in: Maguire, Simonelli, Pierce et al. (2008). Safety and Efficacy of Gene Transfer for Leber's Congenital Amaurosis. New England Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa0802315
Natanson and colleagues pooled clinical trials and found cell-free hemoglobin blood substitutes were linked to higher risk of heart attack and death.
As reported in: Natanson, Kern, Lurie et al. (2008). Cell-Free Hemoglobin-Based Blood Substitutes and Risk of Myocardial Infarction and Death. JAMA. doi:10.1001/jama.299.19.jrv80007
Uniform nanoparticles with a magnetite core and mesoporous silica shell for MRI and fluorescence imaging and drug delivery.
Built / tested: nanoparticles
As reported in: Kim, Kim, Lee et al. (2008). Multifunctional Uniform Nanoparticles Composed of a Magnetite Nanocrystal Core and a Mesoporous Silica Shell for Magnetic Resonance and Fluorescence Imaging and for Drug Delivery. Angewandte Chemie International Edition. doi:10.1002/anie.200802469
Maisels and McDonagh reviewed phototherapy for neonatal jaundice, used according to guidelines based on bilirubin level, gestational age and risk factors.
As reported in: Maisels, McDonagh (2008). Phototherapy for Neonatal Jaundice. New England Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1056/NEJMct0708376
Ohsawa and colleagues found inhaled hydrogen selectively reduced harmful oxygen radicals in rats.
As reported in: Ohsawa, Ishikawa, Takahashi et al. (2007). Hydrogen acts as a therapeutic antioxidant by selectively reducing cytotoxic oxygen radicals. Nature Medicine. doi:10.1038/nm1577
Peer and colleagues reviewed nanocarriers and molecules for selective tumour targeting and the challenges in cancer treatment.
As reported in: Peer, Karp, Hong et al. (2007). Nanocarriers as an emerging platform for cancer therapy. Nature Nanotechnology. doi:10.1038/nnano.2007.387
Hochberg and colleagues reported a man with paralysis controlling a computer cursor and devices with an implanted array.
Built / tested: BrainGate
As reported in: Hochberg, Serruya, Friehs et al. (2006). Neuronal ensemble control of prosthetic devices by a human with tetraplegia. Nature. doi:10.1038/nature04970
Atala and colleagues implanted bladders engineered from patients' own cells on scaffolds.
Built / tested: engineered bladders
As reported in: Atala, Bauer, Soker et al. (2006). Tissue-engineered autologous bladders for patients needing cystoplasty. The Lancet. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(06)68438-9
Staiger and colleagues reviewed magnesium alloys as degradable orthopedic implant materials.
As reported in: Staiger, Pietak, Huadmai et al. (2006). Magnesium and its alloys as orthopedic biomaterials: A review. Biomaterials. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2005.10.003
Rauck and colleagues found that slowly increasing doses of ziconotide, a non-opioid painkiller delivered into the spinal fluid, significantly improved severe chronic pain and was better tolerated than in earlier trials.
Built / tested: ziconotide
As reported in: Rauck, Wallace, Leong et al. (2006). A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Intrathecal Ziconotide in Adults with Severe Chronic Pain. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management. doi:10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2005.10.003
Evaluated an in-situ forming hydrogel wound dressing based on oxidised alginate and gelatin.
Built / tested: wound dressings
As reported in: Balakrishnan, Mohanty, Umashankar et al. (2005). Evaluation of an in situ forming hydrogel wound dressing based on oxidized alginate and gelatin. Biomaterials. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2005.04.012
Karikó and colleagues showed modified nucleosides help mRNA avoid immune detection, work honored with the 2023 Nobel Prize.
As reported in: Karikó, Buckstein, Ni et al. (2005). Suppression of RNA Recognition by Toll-like Receptors: The Impact of Nucleoside Modification and the Evolutionary Origin of RNA. Immunity. doi:10.1016/j.immuni.2005.06.008
Witte and colleagues tracked four magnesium alloys corroding inside animal bone and found new bone forming around them.
Built / tested: degradable bone implants
As reported in: Witte, Kaese, Haferkamp et al. (2005). In vivo corrosion of four magnesium alloys and the associated bone response. Biomaterials. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2004.09.049
Morones and colleagues showed silver nanoparticles kill bacteria and studied how particle size matters.
As reported in: Morones, Elechiguerra, Camacho et al. (2005). The bactericidal effect of silver nanoparticles. Nanotechnology. doi:10.1088/0957-4484/16/10/059
Barth, Coderre and colleagues reviewed boron neutron capture therapy, in which boron-10 is hit by low-energy neutrons and gives off high-energy-transfer alpha particles and lithium-7 nuclei; sodium borocaptate and boronophenylalanine are the two boron drugs used in patients.
As reported in: Barth, Coderre, Vicente et al. (2005). Boron Neutron Capture Therapy of Cancer: Current Status and Future Prospects. Clinical Cancer Research. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-05-0035
Fried showed a high-power thulium fiber laser at 1.94 µm, run in pulsed mode, could fragment both soft uric acid and hard calcium oxalate monohydrate urinary stones in lab tests.
As reported in: Fried (2005). Thulium fiber laser lithotripsy: An in vitro analysis of stone fragmentation using a modulated 110-watt Thulium fiber laser at 1.94 µm. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine. doi:10.1002/lsm.20196
Wang and Kraman found canine airways are self-similar from macro- to microscopic scales, forming a fractal set up to seven scales.
As reported in: Wang, Kraman (2004). Fractal branching pattern of the monopodial canine airway. Journal of Applied Physiology. doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00604.2003
Lang and colleagues scanned 14 crew members after 4–6 month ISS flights and found hip bone lost mainly by thinning from the inside; earlier Mir studies had reported losses of about 1% a month from the spine and 1.5% from the hip.
As reported in: Lang, LeBlanc, Evans et al. (2004). Cortical and Trabecular Bone Mineral Loss From the Spine and Hip in Long-Duration Spaceflight. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. doi:10.1359/jbmr.040307
Sudo and colleagues found germ-free mice had an exaggerated stress hormone response compared with mice with normal microbes, which was reversed by giving them Bifidobacterium infantis; normal gut microbes only partly corrected it when given early in life, not later.
As reported in: Sudo, Chida, Aiba et al. (2004). Postnatal microbial colonization programs the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal system for stress response in mice. The Journal of Physiology. doi:10.1113/jphysiol.2004.063388
Structure and properties of nano-hydroxyapatite/polymer composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.
Built / tested: bone scaffolds
As reported in: Wei, Ma (2004). Structure and properties of nano-hydroxyapatite/polymer composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Biomaterials. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2003.12.005
Van Beek and colleagues reviewed functional lung MRI using hyperpolarized helium-3 gas.
As reported in: van Beek, Wild, Kauczor et al. (2004). Functional MRI of the lung using hyperpolarized 3‐helium gas. Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. doi:10.1002/jmri.20154
In a phase I study in 24 patients with solid tumours, the ruthenium compound NAMI-A, which had shown antimetastatic activity in preclinical studies, caused painful blisters at high doses; 300 mg/m2/day was advised for further testing.
Built / tested: NAMI-A
As reported in: Rademaker-Lakhai, van den Bongard, Pluim et al. (2004). A Phase I and Pharmacological Study with Imidazolium- trans- DMSO-imidazole-tetrachlororuthenate, a Novel Ruthenium Anticancer Agent. Clinical Cancer Research. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-03-0746
In a three-year trial in 1,649 postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, oral strontium ranelate reduced the risk of new vertebral fractures by 41% and raised lumbar-spine bone density by 14.4%.
As reported in: Meunier, Roux, Seeman et al. (2004). The Effects of Strontium Ranelate on the Risk of Vertebral Fracture in Women with Postmenopausal Osteoporosis. New England Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1056/nejmoa022436
Hirsch and colleagues used gold nanoshells and near-infrared light to heat and destroy tumors in mice.
As reported in: Hirsch, Stafford, Bankson et al. (2003). Nanoshell-mediated near-infrared thermal therapy of tumors under magnetic resonance guidance. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. doi:10.1073/pnas.2232479100
In a phase III placebo-controlled study in hemodialysis patients, lanthanum carbonate, a phosphate binder without calcium or aluminium, lowered serum phosphorus and was well tolerated.
As reported in: Joy, Finn (2003). Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-titration, phase III study assessing the efficacy and tolerability of lanthanum carbonate: a new phosphate binder for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia. American Journal of Kidney Diseases. doi:10.1016/s0272-6386(03)00554-7
Hemachudha, Laothamatas and Rupprecht reviewed human rabies as a disease of complex effects on the nervous system that is difficult to diagnose.
As reported in: Hemachudha, Laothamatas, Rupprecht (2002). Human rabies: a disease of complex neuropathogenetic mechanisms and diagnostic challenges. The Lancet Neurology. doi:10.1016/S1474-4422(02)00041-8
In the Magpie Trial of 10,141 women with pre-eclampsia in 33 countries, those given magnesium sulphate had a 58% lower risk of eclampsia than those given placebo.
As reported in: (2002). Do women with pre-eclampsia, and their babies, benefit from magnesium sulphate? The Magpie Trial: a randomised placebo-controlled trial. The Lancet. doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(02)08778-0
Studied structure, gelation rate and mechanical properties of ionically crosslinked alginate hydrogels as tissue engineering scaffolds.
Built / tested: hydrogel scaffolds
As reported in: Kuo, Ma (2001). Ionically crosslinked alginate hydrogels as scaffolds for tissue engineering: Part 1. Structure, gelation rate and mechanical properties. Biomaterials. doi:10.1016/s0142-9612(00)00201-5
Hynynen and colleagues used focused ultrasound plus a contrast agent to open the blood-brain barrier locally in rabbits, without damaging surrounding neurons at the lowest powers.
As reported in: Hynynen, McDannold, Vykhodtseva et al. (2001). Noninvasive MR Imaging–guided Focal Opening of the Blood-Brain Barrier in Rabbits. Radiology. doi:10.1148/radiol.2202001804
Phelps described how positron emission tomography (PET) images biological processes in neurological disease and cancer.
As reported in: Phelps (2000). Positron emission tomography provides molecular imaging of biological processes. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. doi:10.1073/pnas.97.16.9226
Vico and colleagues studied the effects of long-term microgravity on weight-bearing bones of cosmonauts.
As reported in: Vico, Collet, Guignandon et al. (2000). Effects of long-term microgravity exposure on cancellous and cortical weight-bearing bones of cosmonauts. The Lancet. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(00)02217-0
Otterbein and colleagues found low-dose carbon monoxide had anti-inflammatory effects.
As reported in: Otterbein, Bach, Alam et al. (2000). Carbon monoxide has anti-inflammatory effects involving the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. Nature Medicine. doi:10.1038/74680
Described magnetic fluid hyperthermia, heating superparamagnetic nanoparticles with an AC magnetic field to treat cancer.
As reported in: Jordan, Scholz, Wust et al. (1999). Magnetic fluid hyperthermia (MFH): Cancer treatment with AC magnetic field induced excitation of biocompatible superparamagnetic nanoparticles. Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials. doi:10.1016/s0304-8853(99)00088-8
Duerig, Pelton, and Stöckel reviewed nitinol in stents, guidewires, and other medical devices.
Built / tested: stents, guidewires
As reported in: Duerig, Pelton, Stöckel (1999). An overview of nitinol medical applications. Materials Science and Engineering: A. doi:10.1016/S0921-5093(99)00294-4
Bobyn and colleagues implanted a 75–80% porous tantalum material in dogs; new bone filled 42–53% of the pores by four weeks and 63–80% by 16 to 52 weeks, with a shear fixation strength of at least 18.5 MPa at four weeks.
As reported in: Bobyn, Stackpool, Hacking et al. (1999). Characteristics of bone ingrowth and interface mechanics of a new porous tantalum biomaterial. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. British volume. doi:10.1302/0301-620x.81b5.0810907
Bowersox and Luther reviewed the therapeutic potential of omega-conotoxin MVIIA (SNX-111), an N-type calcium channel blocker from the venom of the cone snail Conus magus.
Built / tested: ziconotide
As reported in: Bowersox, Luther (1998). Pharmacotherapeutic potential of omega-conotoxin MVIIA (SNX-111), an N-type neuronal calcium channel blocker found in the venom of Conus magus. Toxicon. doi:10.1016/s0041-0101(98)00158-5
Niinomi compared the strength, fatigue, and stiffness of biomedical titanium alloys.
As reported in: Niinomi (1998). Mechanical properties of biomedical titanium alloys. Materials Science and Engineering: A. doi:10.1016/S0921-5093(97)00806-X
In a study of 103 patients at five dental hospitals, Er:YAG laser cavity preparation was more comfortable than conventional mechanical drilling, and 82% of patients said they would prefer the laser for future caries treatment.
As reported in: Keller, Hibst, Geurtsen et al. (1998). Erbium:YAG laser application in caries therapy. Evaluation of patient perception and acceptance. Journal of Dentistry. doi:10.1016/s0300-5712(97)00036-5
Schnieke and colleagues produced cloned sheep carrying a human clotting factor IX gene.
Built / tested: transgenic cloned sheep
As reported in: Schnieke, Kind, Ritchie et al. (1997). Human Factor IX Transgenic Sheep Produced by Transfer of Nuclei from Transfected Fetal Fibroblasts. Science. doi:10.1126/science.278.5346.2130
Maynard, Nordhausen and Normann described the Utah intracortical array as a recording structure for brain-computer interfaces.
Built / tested: Utah array
As reported in: Maynard, Nordhausen, Normann (1997). The Utah Intracortical Electrode Array: A recording structure for potential brain-computer interfaces. Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology. doi:10.1016/S0013-4694(96)95176-0
A review of the biodegradation and biocompatibility of PLA and PLGA microspheres.
As reported in: Anderson, Shive (1997). Biodegradation and biocompatibility of PLA and PLGA microspheres. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews. doi:10.1016/s0169-409x(97)00048-3
Shen and colleagues gave arsenic trioxide to 15 patients with relapsed acute promyelocytic leukemia; 9 of 10 treated with it alone reached complete remission, without bone-marrow suppression.
As reported in: Shen, Chen, Ni et al. (1997). Use of Arsenic Trioxide (As2O3 ) in the Treatment of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL): II. Clinical Efficacy and Pharmacokinetics in Relapsed Patients. Blood. doi:10.1182/blood.v89.9.3354
Laroussi showed an atmospheric-pressure plasma can sterilize contaminated material.
As reported in: Laroussi (1996). Sterilization of contaminated matter with an atmospheric pressure plasma. IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science. doi:10.1109/27.533129
Brittberg and colleagues treated deep knee cartilage defects by growing the patient's own cartilage cells and implanting them.
Built / tested: ACI procedure
As reported in: Brittberg, Lindahl, Nilsson et al. (1994). Treatment of Deep Cartilage Defects in the Knee with Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation. New England Journal of Medicine. doi:10.1056/NEJM199410063311401
Eng and colleagues isolated exendin-4, a 39-amino-acid peptide, from the venom of the Gila monster (Heloderma suspectum).
Built / tested: exenatide
As reported in: Eng, Kleinman, Singh et al. (1992). Isolation and characterization of exendin-4, an exendin-3 analogue, from Heloderma suspectum venom. Further evidence for an exendin receptor on dispersed acini from guinea pig pancreas.. Journal of Biological Chemistry. doi:10.1016/s0021-9258(18)42531-8
A 1990 review covered the state of the art in radiation sterilization of medical devices.
As reported in: Dorpema (1990). Review and state of the art on radiation sterilization of medical devices. International Journal of Radiation Applications and Instrumentation. Part C. Radiation Physics and Chemistry. doi:10.1016/1359-0197(90)90118-2
Pallikaris and colleagues developed laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) in rabbits, using an excimer laser to reshape the cornea beneath a cut flap.
As reported in: Pallikaris, Papatzanaki, Stathi et al. (1990). Laser in situ keratomileusis. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine. doi:10.1002/lsm.1900100511
Nelson and Manchester modelled lung airway growth with fractal concepts, producing structures in good agreement with measured airway data.
As reported in: Nelson, Manchester (1988). Modeling of lung morphogenesis using fractal geometries. IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging. doi:10.1109/42.14515
Guillemin and colleagues studied natural coral as a bone graft substitute.
As reported in: Guillemin, Patat, Fournie et al. (1987). The use of coral as a bone graft substitute. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research. doi:10.1002/jbm.820210503
Prusiner presented six lines of evidence that the scrapie agent needs a protein to be infectious and resists procedures that modify nucleic acids, and proposed the term prion for this new kind of agent.
As reported in: Prusiner (1982). Novel Proteinaceous Infectious Particles Cause Scrapie. Science. doi:10.1126/science.6801762
Burke, Yannas and colleagues successfully used a collagen-based artificial skin on patients with extensive burns.
Built / tested: artificial dermis
As reported in: BURKE, YANNAS, QUINBY et al. (1981). Successful Use of a Physiologically Acceptable Artificial Skin in the Treatment of Extensive Burn Injury. Annals of Surgery. doi:10.1097/00000658-198110000-00005
Holmes reported bone regrowing in dogs within coral-derived hydroxyapatite implants.
Built / tested: coralline hydroxyapatite
As reported in: Holmes (1979). Bone Regeneration Within a Coralline Hydroxyapatite Implant. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. doi:10.1097/00006534-197905000-00004
Ondetti, Rubin and Cushman used a model of the angiotensin-converting enzyme's active site to design a new class of orally active inhibitors that lowered blood pressure in rats, the work behind captopril.
Built / tested: captopril
As reported in: Ondetti, Rubin, Cushman (1977). Design of Specific Inhibitors of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme: New Class of Orally Active Antihypertensive Agents. Science. doi:10.1126/science.191908
Bangham and colleagues described swollen phospholipid layers, the first liposomes.
As reported in: Bangham, Standish, Watkins (1965). Diffusion of univalent ions across the lamellae of swollen phospholipids. Journal of Molecular Biology. doi:10.1016/S0022-2836(65)80093-6
Ferreira found that the venom of the Brazilian pit viper Bothrops jararaca contains a factor that strongly potentiates the action of bradykinin, and studied its chemical nature.
As reported in: FERREIRA (1965). A BRADYKININ‐POTENTIATING FACTOR (BPF) PRESENT IN THE VENOM OF BOTHROPS JARARACA. British Journal of Pharmacology and Chemotherapy. doi:10.1111/j.1476-5381.1965.tb02091.x
Rosenberg and colleagues found that products from platinum electrodes stopped bacteria from dividing.
As reported in: ROSENBERG, VAN CAMP, KRIGAS (1965). Inhibition of Cell Division in Escherichia coli by Electrolysis Products from a Platinum Electrode. Nature. doi:10.1038/205698a0
Cullen and Gross described the anaesthetic properties of xenon in animals and human beings, with additional observations on krypton.
As reported in: Cullen, Gross (1951). The Anesthetic Properties of Xenon in Animals and Human Beings, with Additional Observations on Krypton. Science. doi:10.1126/science.113.2942.580
Cade reported on using lithium salts to treat psychotic excitement.
As reported in: Cade (1949). LITHIUM SALTS IN THE TREATMENT OF PSYCHOTIC EXCITEMENT. Medical Journal of Australia. doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.1949.tb36912.x
Hertz reported a three-to-five-year follow-up of 29 patients with hyperthyroidism treated from 1941 to 1946 with "internal irradiation" from radioactive iodine.
As reported in: HERTZ (1946). RADIOACTIVE IODINE IN THE STUDY OF THYROID PHYSIOLOGY. Journal of the American Medical Association. doi:10.1001/jama.1946.02870190005002
Kermack and McKendrick developed a mathematical theory of epidemic spread, the origin of SIR models.
As reported in: Kermack, McKendrick (1927). A contribution to the mathematical theory of epidemics. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Containing Papers of a Mathematical and Physical Character. doi:10.1098/rspa.1927.0118