Research news Archives - Page 7 of 31 - Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia

September 27, 2021September 23, 2021

Personalised medicine to beat pediatric leukemia

IBEC researchers have used a state-of-the-art analysis technique to evaluate new drug combinations to successfully treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This study brings personalised medicine closer to the clinic for this cancer type.

September 15, 2021September 15, 2021

A chip against chronic bacterial infections

IBEC researchers develop a device that allows to grow biofilms and analyze their susceptibility to different antibiotics in a simple way and using patient samples. BiofilmChip, a low-cost, easy-to-use diagnostic device, opens the way to finding effective and custom treatments against chronic infections produced by biofilms.

September 8, 2021September 8, 2021

A new 3D muscle model will allow the study of aging and the evaluation of drugs and cosmetics

IBEC researchers develop a three-dimensional model of muscle tissue using bioprinting and tissue bioengineering techniques that allow reproducing their strength, contraction and aging profiles. The new model will have potential applications in fields such as biomedicine, cosmetics and robotics. In addition, it will open the doors to the study of morphological and functional alterations caused by muscle aging.

September 2, 2021September 2, 2021

High-intensity rehabilitation boosts recovery after a stroke

A retrospective analysis performed by researchers from the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) and University College London (UCL) has found that high-intensity therapy beginning within 6 months post-stroke offers the best rehabilitation outcomes, suggesting that standards of care offered by many healthcare systems should be re-analysed.

July 20, 2021July 20, 2021

Researchers uncover the reason for “Living wires” extraordinary electrical properties

An international study co-authored by IBEC’s researchers has identified nickel as a key conductive component in the wires found in cable bacteria. This ground-breaking finding, obtained by combining high-resolution microscopy, spectroscopy and chemical imaging, has been published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications.

July 14, 2021July 14, 2021

Cellular push and pull, a key to the body’s response to processes such as cancer

Researchers, led by Pere Roca-Cusachs at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC) discover how force dynamics affect cells, and living tissues. The results give an insight into the critical mechanical processes that occur in different diseases such as cancer.

June 21, 2021June 21, 2021

Researchers discover how the intestinal epithelium folds and moves by measuring its forces

An international team led by Xavier Trepat at IBEC, with support from “La Caixa Foundation, measures the cellular forces in mini-intestines grown in the laboratory, deciphering how the inner wall of this vital organ folds and moves.

June 21, 2021June 17, 2021

Controlling brain states with a ray of light

A study led by researchers from IBEC and IDIBAPS achieves, for the first time, the control of brain state transitions using a molecule responsive to light, named PAI. The results not only pave the way to act on the brain patterns activity, but they also could lead to the development of photomodulated drugs for the treatment of brain lesions or diseases such as depression, bipolar disorders or Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s diseases.

July 26, 2021June 15, 2021

Bioengineered mini organs move towards the fight against cancer thanks to the AECC

A 3-years research project led by the ICREA Research Professor at IBEC, Núria Montserrat, has been dedicated to study kidney cancer by using laboratory organoids, thanks to the “LAB 2017” grants from the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC). Researchers have managed to create the first renal organoid-based animal model for this type of cancer, and to identify early signs of the development of the disease.

June 23, 2021June 7, 2021

Machine learning reduces microscope data processing time from months to just seconds

With a new method that combines high-powered scanning force microscopes and machine learning, IBEC researchers have drastically reduced the processing time required to achieve nanoscale biochemical compositions map from electric images of eukaryotic cells in just seconds. Using earlier computation methods, processing one image could take even months.