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Mini brains from the petri dish

Researchers developed organoids that resemble human brain structure, investigating rare congenital brain defect Miller-Dieker syndrome. The study reveals disrupted stem cell division leading to poor organization and early differentiation of nerve cells.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalCell Reports·DateApr 4, 2017

Breakthrough in live coral imaging

Scientists used OCT to observe tissue organization and behavior of living corals, identifying changes in tissue layers and fluorescent pigments under light exposure. The study reveals that corals expand their surface area at night and produce more mucus upon stress, challenging current assumptions about coral metabolic rates.

SourceUniversity of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science·JournalJournal of The Royal Society Interface·DateMar 6, 2017

Composite biomaterial scaffolds enable patterning of tissue architecture and cell identity

Researchers have developed new biomaterial scaffolds that incorporate patterned architectures and regional compartments of signaling factors to control tissue development. This technology enables the formation of complex cellular structures and miniature organoid tissues, mimicking natural developmental processes.

SourceInstitute of Neural Regeneration & Tissue Engineering·JournalJournal of Tissue Engineering·DateOct 10, 2016

Structural, regulatory and human error were factors in Washington highway bridge collapse

A new analysis by civil engineering faculty at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign outlines the factors that led to the 2013 Interstate 5 bridge collapse in Washington. The study highlights the importance of updating databases to reflect minimum heights and implementing automated reporting systems to prevent similar accidents.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalJournal of Performance of Constructed Facilities·DateAug 26, 2016

Sensing trouble: A new way to detect hidden damage in bridges, roads

Researchers from the University of Delaware have developed a new approach to detect hidden damage in structures, using carbon nanotube composites and electrical impedance tomography. The technique can monitor the health of structures and alert owners to potential problems, with major benefits including scalability and relatively low cost.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalJournal of Nondestructive Evaluation·DateJul 7, 2016

Super-clear synapses at super resolutions

A new process for making brain tissue transparent has been developed at RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology, allowing for the creation of super-resolution 3-D images of delicate structures deep in the brain. This breakthrough enables researchers to visualize synaptic changes and neural structures with unprecedented detail.

SourceRIKEN·JournalCell Reports·DateMar 10, 2016

Scaling up tissue engineering

Researchers at the Wyss Institute developed a method for bioprinting thick vascularized tissue constructs composed of human stem cells and extracellular matrix. The resulting tissues can sustain and function as living architectures for upwards of six weeks, enabling controlled perfusion of fluids, nutrients, and cell growth factors.

SourceWyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 7, 2016

Better biopsies through biofluidics

Researchers have developed a new method to acquire three-dimensional atlases of tissue that provide much more information, incorporating data on tissue structure and molecular profile. The new technique enables doctors or researchers to peer into the tissue and identify specific proteins within cells throughout the whole tissue.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalBiomicrofluidics·DateMar 1, 2016

Imaging algorithm gathers information about how cells move

Brown University engineers developed a new technique to understand how cells move through complex tissues, building on mean deformation theory. The algorithm analyzed images of human neutrophils moving through collagen matrices, revealing differences in contractility and rotation between healthy and sepsis models.

SourceBrown University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 29, 2016

Behind the levees

A recent study by the University of California, Davis, found that levees can actually increase flood risk for up to a third of residential structures and 22% of commercial structures behind them. The research team estimated long-term flood risk, probabilities of levee failure, and resulting economic losses in the Sny Island levee distr...

SourceUniversity of California - Davis·JournalEnvironmental Science & Policy·DateFeb 9, 2016

Engineers 3-D-print a new lifelike liver tissue for drug screening

A team of engineers at the University of California, San Diego has successfully created a 3D-printed liver tissue model that closely mimics human liver structure and function. The new model can be used for patient-specific drug screening and disease modeling, potentially saving pharmaceutical companies time and money.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 8, 2016

Regrowing functional joints in frogs

Scientists have developed a method to regrow functional joints in frogs using a 'reintegration' mechanism. This approach could potentially be used to regenerate limbs in mammals and humans. The research paves the way for further studies on functional joint regeneration.

SourceKyoto University·JournalRegeneration·DateJan 14, 2016

New work on knee cartilage structure to aid better replacements and injury treatments

A new study by Penn and Delaware researchers sheds light on the mechanics and biology of natural and engineered tissue, informing ways to treat injuries like knee meniscus tears and age-related tissue degeneration. The team developed micro-engineered models that replicate key features of degenerating native tissue, enabling testing of ...

Critical clues on cartilage

A team of researchers has shed new light on the relationships between cartilage structure and function, revealing microdomains that behave differently from surrounding tissue. This discovery paves the way for more effective treatments of meniscus tears and osteoarthritis.

SourceUniversity of Delaware·JournalNature Materials·DateJan 4, 2016

New step toward determining the cause of MS

The study found that stromal cells, specialized fibers, and T helper 17 cells collaborate to form tertiary lymphoid tissues (TLTs) in the brain of MS patients. This discovery may lead to potential treatment options, such as targeted Th17 blockers, by understanding how TLTs are formed.

SourceUniversity of Toronto·JournalImmunity·DateDec 15, 2015

3-D printed 'building blocks' of life

Researchers have created a 3D printing technique that produces highly uniform 'blocks' of embryonic stem cells, which can be used as building blocks to construct tissue constructs, larger structures of tissues, and potentially even micro-organs. The method outperforms existing methods in terms of cell uniformity and homogenous prolifer...

SourceIOP Publishing·JournalBiofabrication·DateNov 3, 2015

Tissue cartography

Two postdoctoral scholars from UC Santa Barbara's Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics developed a method called ImSAnE, which constructs an atlas of two-dimensional maps for dynamic tissue surfaces. This allows scientists to analyze layered tissues with relative ease and reduces data size and processing time.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalNature Methods·DateNov 2, 2015

Self-assembling material that grows and changes shape could lead to artificial arteries

Researchers at Queen Mary University of London developed a method for self-assembling organic molecules into complex tissue-like structures without moulds or 3D printing. This discovery could enable the engineering of tissues like veins, arteries, or the blood-brain barrier, facilitating disease research and implant development.

SourceQueen Mary University of London·JournalNature Chemistry·DateSep 28, 2015

Real X-ray vision: See-through brains ready for study

Researchers at RIKEN Brain Science Institute developed a new optical clearing technique called Sca l eS, enabling the creation of transparent brain samples for detailed analysis. The technique has provided new insights into Alzheimer's disease pathology and revealed associations between amyloid beta plaques and microglial cells.

SourceRIKEN·JournalNature Neuroscience·DateSep 14, 2015