A research team led by scientists at Shenzhen University has created a highly sensitive light‑based biosensor capable of detecting extremely low concentrations of cancer biomarkers in blood, offering a potential route to earlier and simpler cancer diagnosis. The system combines DNA nanostructures, quantum dots, and CRISPR Cas12a activity to generate a measurable optical signal using a technique known as second harmonic generation. When a target biomarker is present, Cas12a cuts DNA strands that hold the quantum dots in place, causing a detectable drop in the optical signal. This mechanism allows the sensor to identify biomarkers at concentrations far below what…

Researchers at Washington State University have developed a wearable microneedle‑based biosensor designed to make glucose monitoring more accurate, less invasive, and more cost‑effective for people with diabetes. The device measures glucose in interstitial fluid using tiny hollow microneedles less than a millimeter long, which extract small amounts of fluid without the discomfort or skin irritation associated with traditional continuous glucose monitors. The sensor then uses enzymatic nanozyme chemistry and a single‑atom catalyst to amplify the glucose signal, enabling highly sensitive detection at low biomarker concentrations. The team fabricated the device using low‑cost 3D printing, which reduces manufacturing expense and allows…

Researchers at Stanford University have developed a low cost, battery or solar powered autonomous microscope called “Octopi” that uses artificial intelligence to diagnose malaria in blood smears with far greater speed and efficiency than manual microscopy. Malaria diagnosis traditionally requires a trained technician to examine slides one by one, a process that can take half an hour per sample and limits throughput to roughly 25 patients per day even under demanding conditions. Octopi replaces this manual workflow with automated slide scanning and AI driven parasite detection, enabling accurate diagnosis within minutes and dramatically increasing the number of patients who can…

Researchers at Nottingham Trent University have developed a smart textile vest designed to detect early signs of hypothermia in older adults, a population particularly vulnerable to dangerous drops in body temperature. Elderly people lose heat more quickly and often have impaired temperature regulation due to chronic conditions, medications, and frailty, making hypothermia both common and difficult to detect without continuous monitoring. The new vest aims to provide an unobtrusive way to identify sustained temperature declines before they become life‑threatening. The system is built around four miniature sensors called thermistors, each only one millimeter long and half a millimeter wide, which…

Scientists at the University of Maryland have developed a small wearable sensor, nicknamed “Smart Underwear”, that clips onto any pair of underwear and continuously measures human flatulence by detecting hydrogen gas. The device was created to address a long‑standing gap in gastrointestinal research: despite how common digestive complaints are, clinicians have had no reliable way to quantify gas production in daily life. As the researchers note, even experts have struggled to document what patients describe, leaving gut health a bit of a black box. Smart Underwear aims to clear the air by providing objective, real‑time data on microbial activity. The…

Researchers at the Institut de Neurociències of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona have developed a mussel‑inspired bioadhesive patch designed to eliminate glioblastoma cells, the most aggressive and prevalent form of brain tumor. The patch adheres strongly to wet brain tissue and induces a high level of localized cellular oxidation, allowing it to kill tumor cells while minimizing systemic side effects. The approach has been tested in cell cultures and in excised pig brains, where it demonstrated the ability to eliminate a large proportion of glioblastoma cells. Glioblastoma grows rapidly, infiltrates surrounding tissue, and is extremely difficult to treat. Standard care…

Researchers from Waseda University in Japan have developed a new adaptive vascular stent that can automatically deploy at body temperature using 4D printing and a shape memory polymer composite. The stent is made from a polycaprolactone based material whose thermal transition temperature is precisely tuned so that it expands naturally at approximately 37 degrees Celsius once placed inside the body. This eliminates the need for external heating systems and reduces the complexity and invasiveness of conventional stent deployment procedures. The team used projection micro stereolithography to fabricate micro architected coronary stents with fine structural control. By incorporating diethyl phthalate as…

Researchers at the Institute of Industrial Science at the University of Tokyo have developed a new 3D‑printed backing system that significantly improves the performance of microneedle array patches used for vaccine delivery. The work responds to challenges highlighted during the COVID‑19 pandemic, particularly the need for vaccine formats that are easy to distribute, stable at room temperature, and simple to administer without trained medical personnel. Microneedle patches already offer advantages such as painless application and self‑administration, but their effectiveness can be limited when delivering live virus vaccines because the fabrication process can reduce viral viability and prevent the full dose…

Researchers from the Technical University of Denmark have developed a new type of brain implant designed to illuminate, listen, and deliver medication within the brain using a single, highly flexible device. The implant, known as the “microfluidic Axialtrode” or mAxialtrode, is a long, needle thin fiber less than half a millimeter thick. Its softness allows it to move with the brain rather than cutting into tissue, reducing damage and improving long term compatibility. The technology is intended to support both fundamental neuroscience research and future treatments for neurological disorders such as epilepsy. The mAxialtrode integrates multiple functional interfaces along its…

A research team at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) has developed a wearable phototherapy device that uses customized near-infrared OLEDs to suppress hair follicle cell aging, offering a noninvasive alternative to conventional hair loss treatments. The device is designed as a soft, textile-based cap that replaces bulky helmet-type systems and delivers uniform light stimulation across the scalp. The team demonstrated that the OLED-based system can suppress aging in dermal papilla cells by up to 92%, a key factor in slowing hair loss progression. Existing phototherapy devices rely on point light sources such as LEDs or lasers,…