Engineers at MIT say that, by injecting certain drugs as a suspension of tiny crystals, they can deliver them in higher doses with less pain. The approach could help deliver long-lasting contraceptives or other drugs that require delivery for extended periods of time. Because the drugs disperse in a suspension before injection, they can be…
MIT researchers use 3D printing to produce self-heating microfluidic devices
Researchers at MIT used 3D printing to create self-heating microfluidic devices, highlighting the potential for this technique in future applications. Microfluidics have uses in detecting diseases within tiny samples of blood or fluids, like in COVID-19 test kits. The team at MIT believes the technique could someday help rapidly create cheap but accurate disease detection…
MIT engineers say they can control signals from the brain to the gut
Engineers at MIT say they developed a new technology that can control neural circuits connecting the gut and the brain. Using fibers embedded with sensors, plus light sources for optogenetic stimulation, the researchers demonstrated this control in mice. The study showed that they could induce feelings of fullness or reward-seeking behavior by manipulating cells of…
Researchers say ingestible sensor could help with diagnosing GI disorders
Engineers at MIT and Caltech have developed an ingestible sensor that could more easily diagnose gastrointestinal motility disorders. This advance could help with the diagnosis of constipation, gastroesophageal reflux disease and gastroparesis. The engineers designed their tiny sensor to detect a magnetic field produced by an electromagnetic coil located outside of the patient’s body. The…