Category: Technology & Devices
Gene editing of human embryos could be morally permissible
Should we or shouldn’t we be allowed to modify human DNA in future children? An inquiry into the ethical issues surrounding genetically altering a human embryo has found there is “no absolute reason not to pursue it”. But appropriate measures must be put in place before it becomes UK law, said the report – which [...]
Prostate cancer ultrasound treatment as productive as surgery or radiotherapy
Using high energy ultrasound beams to destroy prostate cancer tumours may be as effective as surgery or radiotherapy, but with fewer side effects. A new study, carried out at six hospitals across the UK, tracked 625 men with prostate cancer who received a type of treatment called high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). The research, published in [...]
Scientists can predict intelligence from brain scans
If you’ve ever lied about your IQ to seem more intelligent, it’s time to fess up. Scientists can now tell how smart you are just by looking at a scan of your brain. Actually, to be more precise, the scientists themselves aren’t looking at your brain scan; a machine-learning algorithm they’ve developed is. In a [...]
Presenting opportunities for the healthcare sector in Asia
Also, download this story from the electronic issue here MEDICAL FAIR ASIA 2018 29-31 August, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore The healthcare industry in Asia Pacific is expected to grow at 11.1% in 2018, making it one of the fastest growing regions in the world, compared to the global healthcare average growth of 4.8% a year. The [...]
Quicker, accurate diagnoses for dangerous diseases and genetic disorders
There is growing awareness of the valuable role that diagnostics can play, both in the early identification and treatment of dangerous or infectious diseases as well as genetic disorders. The early and accurate identification of one’s predisposition to cancer, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), diabetes, cardiac conditions, or the presence of underlying pathogens such as Zika, [...]
Blood test may detect early lung cancer – study
A test that analyses free-floating DNA in the blood may be able to detect early-stage lung cancer, a preliminary report from the ongoing Circulating Cell-Free Genome Atlas (CCGA) study suggests. The findings, from one of the first studies to explore whether sequencing blood-borne DNA is a feasible approach to the early cancer detection, were featured [...]
New test for peanut allergy more accurate, safer than current tests
Scientists from Britain’s Medical Research Council (MRC) have developed a new laboratory test to safely diagnose peanut allergy, offering a better way to monitor a significant food hazard. The test has 98 per cent specificity and, unlike current options, it does not run the risk of false-positives or cause allergic reactions such as anaphylactic shock. Current tests, in use for decades, are based on [...]
Gates joins malaria fight; backs gene-altering technologies
Philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder and Bill Gates is joining the fight against malaria by backing up gene-editing technologies that alter mosquitoes’ DNA. He said the technologies could prove critical in the fight against malaria, Bill Gates and ethical concerns should not block progress in such gene-modifying research. Speaking at the Malaria Forum conference in London, [...]
Evonik opens research hub in Singapore; intensifies regenerative medicine research
German specialty chemicals company, Evonik has opened its first research hub for resource efficiency topics in Singapore, internationalising its research in the areas of functional surfaces and additive manufacturing. With the Biopolis-located research hub, Evonik is also expanding its collaboration with public and private research institutions and organisations in Singapore. Evonik has formed a partnership with [...]
Researchers developing new technologies to assist people with limb loss
It is a known fact that when you reach your hand out to grab an object, your brain signals certain muscles to move. Nerves for those muscles then send a message back to the brain about the movement. You don’t have to see your hand to know that you’ve grabbed the object. You can feel [...]
