Revolutionizing Healthcare: Unleashing the Power of Stem Cells and AI

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🌐  News

Scientists Assemble Stem Cells to Mimic Human Embryo

Scientists at Israel's Weizmann Institute grew a model of a 14-day-old human embryo from stem cells, without using sperm or egg. Their "textbook" embryo model accurately recreates key embryonic structures like the placenta. It provides an ethical way to study elusive early development, which could shed light on miscarriage, birth defects, and IVF success.

Rather than fertilization, the researchers used chemicals to coax stem cells into becoming the 4 main embryonic cell types. These cells then self-assembled into an embryo-like structure when combined. The synthetic embryo even produced pregnancy hormones.

While groundbreaking, the research raises questions about self-organization, viability, and regulating embryo models vs real embryos. But it opens doors to study human development without the legal and ethical quandaries of natural embryos. More perfected models could improve IVF or drug safety.

Learn More: BBC.com

Researchers Developing Vaccines to Blunt Impacts of Fentanyl and Heroin

Scientists are initiating human trials of two experimental vaccines designed to neutralize fentanyl and heroin before they reach the brain. If successful, the vaccines could prevent overdoses and block the drugs' euphoric highs. In trials, the vaccines generated antibodies that bonded to the opioids like a sponge, removing them from circulation.

While not a standalone solution, the vaccines could provide a protective layer for at-risk individuals and those in recovery when combined with other interventions. Researchers first proposed opioid vaccines in the 1970s but stalled due to lack of funding. Spurred by the opioid epidemic, progress restarted in the 1990s, now with NIH support.

Safety trials begin in 2024, but years of testing remain. The goal is a multi-year effect to aid the high-risk early recovery period. While promising, vaccines will only be one part of addressing the crisis' complex roots. Public education, stigma reduction, and pain management advances are also critical.

Learn More: Futurism

Study Finds Significant Rise in Cancer Cases Among Under 50s

A new study published in BMJ Oncology reports a concerning 79% increase in cancer cases globally among those under age 50 over the past 30 years. In 2019 alone, there were 3.26 million diagnoses in this demographic. The rise may be linked to poor lifestyle factors and genetics.

Digestive, skin, and breast cancers were most prevalent in the under 50 population. However, cancer remains largely a disease of older adults. More research is still needed on the causes behind this trend. While highlighting the need for early detection, experts caution against overinterpreting the data, as improved reporting could also play a role.

💰  Healthcare Startups

1. Nurtec ODT maker Biohaven gets acquired by Pfizer for $11.6B - Pfizer continues its acquisition spree, this time buying the migraine drug maker to boost its neuroscience portfolio.

2. Oncology startup Erasca goes public in $300M IPO - The company developing new cancer treatments raised significant funds in its initial public offering.

3. Mindset Health raises $15M for youth mental health platform - The Canadian startup's app uses gamification and AI to help teenagers build resilience and wellbeing.

4. Data security startup Armorblox gets $30M Series C funding - The cybersecurity firm protects healthcare organizations against email-based attacks using natural language understanding.

5. LetsGetChecked valued at $800M after $150M Series D round - The at-home health testing company will use the new capital to expand its virtual care platform.

6. Sleep tech startup Eight Sleep raises $86M Series C - The "Fitbit for sleep" company will further develop its mattress temperature regulation system.

7. Genome mapping startup Seven Bridges lands $145M - The biotech firm offers a genomics cloud platform and AI-powered data analytics.

8. Qentric closes $10M Series A for surgical robotics tech - The startup is developing a advanced robotic system for minimally invasive procedures.

9. Phospholutions secures $10M for renal diagnostics - Its phosphate sensor improves early detection of chronic kidney disease.

10. Nym Health emerges from stealth with $25M for clinical automation - The company uses natural language processing to extract medical insights from patient data.

Glass Health Raises $5M to Develop AI Clinical Decision Support

Glass Health recently secured $5 million in seed funding led by Initialized Capital for its AI-powered clinical decision support platform. The startup aims to leverage large language models like ChatGPT to assist clinicians with tasks like differential diagnosis.

Glass Health fine-tunes these models using updated medical guidelines curated by its physician team. This doctor-facing approach allows clinicians to closely review AI outputs before applying recommendations. For now, the AI provides options for doctors to consider rather than directives.

The company employs retrieval augmented generation, continually editing guidelines used by its AI. This keeps recommendations current and allows reviewing for biases, working to achieve health equity.

Glass Health is expanding integration with EMRs and hospital systems. The funding will accelerate developing features that deliver value to clinicians. The startup aims to ultimately empower doctors and improve patient outcomes worldwide.

🕰️ Blasts from the Past: This Day in Medical History

• September 7, 1976 - The United States enacted the Medical Device Amendments, establishing safety regulations for medical devices including required clinical testing.

• September 8, 1983 - Novo Nordisk gained FDA approval for NovoSeven, the first recombinant form of the blood clotting agent Factor VIIa.

• September 10, 1945 - Penicillin goes on sale to the American public for the first time, revolutionizing the treatment of bacterial infections.

• September 9, 1979 - The first successful human lung transplant was performed by Dr. Bruce Reitz at Stanford University Medical Center.

• September 11, 2001 - The deadliest terrorist attack on US soil resulted in long-term health impacts for many first responders and survivors.

• September 12, 2003 - The complete sequence of the human genome was published in Nature, a major milestone in understanding human genetics.

• September 8, 2014 - Apple announced the Apple Watch, kicking off the consumer digital health era with its fitness tracking features.

🔒 Robots + More

Sony Launches Heartwarming 'Foster Care' Program for Aging Robot Dogs

Sony is ensuring their robot dogs, the ERS-1000 Aibo, continue to bring joy even after their owners cancel their Aibo Cloud Plan. In their new "Aibo foster parent program," Sony will refurbish and donate these robots to places like medical facilities and nursing homes. Owners will pay a fee for this service, and some donations will be used for maintaining other Aibo units. These robots, though not originally designed for it, offer emotional support with their responsiveness to voice, touch, and even family recognition. This initiative reduces e-waste and supports those who can't have real pets, aligning with Japan's love for emotional support robots.

Learn More: The Verge

🤖 AI

Intuitive Surgical Leverages AI to Advance Robotic Surgery

Intuitive Surgical has introduced various AI tools and applications to improve robotic surgery, including a new offering called Case Insights that analyzes surgical data to help surgeons optimize techniques and achieve better patient outcomes. The company has also developed AI solutions for 3D surgical imaging, smart sensing in instruments like staplers, and optimizing hospital workflow and scheduling to boost efficiency and lower costs.

Intuitive is additionally partnering with academic institutions to develop objective metrics that can quantify surgical skills and techniques in detail. This data helps provide personalized feedback to surgeons in training. By fusing rich surgical metrics with patient data, AI may also allow predictions of postoperative recovery. However, responsible rollout requires extensive research and validation before implementation.

Overall, Intuitive sees major potential for AI and data science to revolutionize the field of surgery by enabling measurable outcomes. But the company is taking a gradual, evidence-based approach focused on delivering concrete benefits to patients. Intuitive continues making significant investments to advance AI in robotic surgery through training, analytics, and research collaborations.

Learn More: MedtechDive

🌎  Innovation

German Physicists Invent Tiny 'Pen' for Writing in Water

German physicists have devised a remarkable way to write in water and other fluids using a microscopic ion-exchange microbead as a "pen." This tiny bead alters the water's pH to attract ink particles, allowing for precise writing. While still experimental, it has the potential to write continuous lines in water, create breaks between letters, erase, and use UV-sensitive inks for longer-lasting results. This innovation opens doors for various applications beyond writing, including complex density patterns in fluids.

Learn More: Ars Technica

That’s all for this week. Thank You!

The Pulse Disruption Team