Articles by Chuck Seegert

51. Mexico Exempts Hundreds Of Medical Devices From Registration 1/13/2015

    Regulators in Mexico have increased the list of medical devices and healthcare products that no longer require registration. This list of items largely consists of components and accessories of other, low-risk devices. Many manufacturers could be impacted by the change.

52. Could Brain Imaging Enhance Personalized Medicine? 1/13/2015

    Despite extensive research, the field of non-invasive brain scanning has had little impact on our daily lives. Recently, however, an analysis from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) tackled how this work may be useful in predicting future behaviors. Their analysis of a wide array of techniques may offer insights that could help personalize clinical treatment approaches.

53. Graphene “Flying Carpet” Gives Cancer Therapeutics A Lift 1/12/2015

    North Carolina State University researchers have led an international team in the development of a novel drug delivery technique. The graphene “flying carpets” can be used as blood-borne devices that deliver two types of chemotherapy to tumor cells, applying the therapy to specific areas to achieve maximum effectiveness. Tested in a mouse model, the treatment method has produced a synergistic effect against human lung tumors.

54. FDA Clears Rapid Flu Diagnostic For Wider Use 1/12/2015

    A new nucleic acid-based flu test has received an FDA waiver so that it may be used in a wider variety of settings. The test, which can deliver results in as little as 15 minutes, is manufactured by Alere Inc. and uses nasal swabs to test for influenza.

55. New MRI Approach Could Detect Prostate Cancer More Accurately 1/12/2015

    To overcome challenges with existing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods, researchers at the University of California have developed a new, more accurate approach to imaging prostate cancer. By correcting magnetic field distortions, the new method may significantly change how prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated.

56. Laser-Activated Nanoparticles Deliver Proteins Inside Cancer Cells 1/11/2015

    Using surface tags specific to prostate cancer cells, researchers were able to shepherd protein-loaded gold nanoparticles into the cancer cells. Once inside the cells, the protein-laden nanoparticles were induced to release their cargo with laser pulses aimed at single cells. The method is as specific as intra-cellular microinjection and enables spatial and temporal control of protein release at the single-cell level.

57. When Screening For Lung Cancer, Adding Head And Neck Could Save Lives 1/11/2015

    Patients with risk factors like a history of smoking could benefit from an examination of the head and neck when their lungs are screened for cancer. While it wouldn’t make sense for the general population, patients with risk factors for lung cancer are also the ones most likely to suffer from head and neck cancers.

58. Will “Liquid Biopsies” Replace Invasive Tissue Biopsies? 1/10/2015

    Using cell-free DNA found in the blood stream, a team led by Vanderbilt researchers has developed a highly accurate method for detecting prostate cancer. Through massive parallel sequencing of this DNA, the method may transform cancer diagnostics and enable real-time monitoring of patient responses to therapy. Instead of using tissue biopsies, the new method only requires a blood sample.

59. FDA Releases Priorities For 2015 Guidance Document Publication 1/9/2015

    The FDA has released a list of guidance documents that it is planning to publish and develop in fiscal year 2015. The documents are divided into the A-list, which the agency fully intends to publish, the B-list which it will publish as resources permit, and a list of final guidance documents released historically that may require retrospective review.

60. Glowing Nanoparticles Guide Surgery And Eradicate Remaining Cancer Cells 1/8/2015

    Ensuring that an entire tumor has been removed is a major goal of cancer surgery and one that has been advanced by Oregon State University (OSU) researchers. By using nanoparticles that selectively impregnate tumors, surgeons can fluoresce the malignant tissue, delineating exactly where to cut. If small tumor portions remain, those same nanoparticles — in conjunction with phototherapy — can kill the remaining cancerous cells.