Add BrightSurf on Google Email

New insights into wound healing

A team of researchers from Washington University in St. Louis has determined for the first time how the process of wound healing begins, shedding light on fibrosis and cancer metastasis. They discovered a recursive process between fibroblasts and their environment, which can be controlled by manipulating cellular responses to drugs.

A world first: Assessing kidney quality before transplantation using photoacoustic imaging

Researchers have developed a non-invasive method to visualize damage in donor kidneys using photoacoustic imaging. This technique allows for accurate assessment of kidney scarring and can potentially revolutionize transplantation protocol by matching organs with patient life expectancy, reducing costs and improving outcomes.

Study finds male-female cardiac repair differences in heart failure survival post-MI

A University of South Florida-led mouse cardiac healing study reveals faster heart repair and improved survival in female mice compared to males after a heart attack. The research suggests that sex-specific therapies may be more effective in managing heart failure, with potential applications for delayed or prevented cardiac inflammation.

SourceUniversity of South Florida (USF Health)·JournalJournal of the American Heart Association·DateApr 20, 2020

Scientists find new ways to prevent skin scarring

Researchers at Oxford University Press USA have identified new ways to prevent skin scarring after injuries. The study suggests that pressure therapy, silicone treatment, and early laser intervention can reduce scar formation and improve therapeutic response. These findings offer promising hope for patients with hypertrophic scars.

SourceOxford University Press USA·JournalBurns & Trauma·DateFeb 4, 2020

How do scars form? Fascia function as a repository of mobile scar tissue

Researchers found that fascia tissue is the origin of scars and contains specialized fibroblasts that pre-assemble to heal wounds. This discovery challenges traditional views of wound healing and opens up new biological concepts for scar-related diseases, potentially leading to novel therapeutic approaches.

Intraoral endoscopic thyroidectomy leaves no scar

A new study compares two surgical approaches to endoscopic thyroid removal, finding no significant differences in outcomes between the oral vestibular approach and the breast approach. Both methods are safe and effective, with the oral vestibular approach offering a better cosmetic result due to its scarless nature.

SourceMary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News·JournalJournal of Laparoendoscopic & Advanced Surgical Techniques·DateOct 29, 2019

Researchers explore spinal discs' early response to injury and ways to improve it

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have made a breakthrough in understanding how spinal discs respond to injury. They found that using drugs like fasudil can calm cells and delay their default healing response, which has potential as a treatment for disc degeneration and back pain. This discovery highlight...

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Medicine·JournalNature Biomedical Engineering·DateOct 14, 2019

Soft robots for all

Researchers at Harvard University have invented a soft ring oscillator that enables soft robots to roll, undulate, sort and swallow. The invention uses pressurized air to create movement, allowing the robots to perform complex movements without electronic components.

SourceHarvard University·JournalScience Robotics·DateJun 26, 2019

Protecting damaged hearts with microRNAs

Researchers have identified two microRNA family members that can provide both immediate and long-term protection against heart damage. The therapy targets the miR-19a/b microRNAs, which regulate proliferation of cardiomyocytes and reduce inflammation, leading to improved heart function.

SourceBoston Children's Hospital·JournalNature Communications·DateApr 22, 2019

Combined SPECT and cardiac MR imaging can help guide ventricular tachycardia ablation

Researchers found that combining iodine-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine (123I-MIBG) SPECT imaging with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) helps identify specific subsets of heart tissue more prone to arrhythmias. This approach enables physicians to achieve improved VT suppression and shorter procedure times.

SourceSociety of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging·JournalJournal of Nuclear Medicine·DateJan 30, 2019

Blister fluid could help diagnose burn severity

Researchers analyzed 56 samples of blister fluid from burns of different depths and healing times to develop a new classification system. They found that specific protein patterns in blister fluid could predict burn depth and time to re-epithelialization, leading to more accurate diagnoses and potential reductions in scarring.

SourceAmerican Chemical Society·JournalJournal of Proteome Research·DateJan 17, 2019

University of Birmingham develops sight-saving treatment for eye infection or trauma

The University of Birmingham has developed an innovative eye drop treatment that rapidly reduces sight-threatening scarring to the surface of the eye. This novel treatment, which consists of a fluid gel loaded with a natural wound-healing protein called Decorin, shows promise in promoting scarless healing and improving corneal transpar...

SourceUniversity of Birmingham·JournalRegenerative Medicine·DateDec 21, 2018

A Mexican cavefish with a scarred heart

Scientists have discovered that a Mexican cavefish can regenerate its heart tissue, unlike its blind and translucent cousin. Researchers found three DNA segments responsible for the ability to regenerate heart tissue, shedding light on the genetic mechanisms behind this process.

SourceCell Press·JournalCell Reports·DateNov 20, 2018

Blocking 'secondary cataracts'

Researchers are exploring ways to prevent secondary cataracts, a condition that occurs when scar tissue forms in the eye after surgery. Melinda Duncan's team has made several discoveries, including molecules critical for forming PCO scar tissue, and is working on a drug to block this potentially blinding condition.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalInvestigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science·DateNov 13, 2018