University of California San Diego Archives

Researchers develop bacteria that can detect tumor DNA

As seen in a dish, Acinetobacter baylyi (green) bacteria surround clumps of colorectal cancer cells. Credit: Josephine Wright/UC San Diego

Scientists at the University of California San Diego, along with colleagues in Australia, engineered bacteria capable of detecting the presence of tumor DNA in a live organism.

Previously, bacteria could perform diagnostic and therapeutic functions, according to the UC San Diego website. However, they lacked the ability to identify specific DNA sequences and mutations outside of cells.

The researchers say this innovation could create a pathway to new biosensors capable of identifying various infections, cancers and diseases. This “Cellular Assay for Targeted CRISPR-discriminated Horizontal gene transfer,” or “CATCH,” demonstrated success in detecting cancer in the colons of mice.

“As we started on this project four years ago, we weren’t even sure if using b…

Robotic hand uses low-cost touch sensors instead of vision

The four-fingered robotic hand has 16 touch sensors. [Image via UCSD]

Engineers at the University of California San Diego developed a new approach allowing a robotic hand to rotate objects solely through touch.

The UCSD method enables a robotic hand to do so without relying on vision. Using their technique, the engineers built a hand that can smoothly rotate a range of objects, including small toys and cans. It can rotate fruits and vegetables without squishing them as well, accomplishing its tasks using only information based on touch.

According to UCSD, the team believes the work could help develop robots that can manipulate objects in the dark.

To build the system, the team attached 16 touch sensors (which cost about $12 apiece) to the palm and fingers of a four-fingered robotic hand. These sensors detect whether an object is touching the robotic hand. The low-cost, low-resolution touch sensors…

80-cent device prototype uses smartphone to monitor blood pressure

A 3D-printed device that clips onto a smartphone can take blood pressure readings. [Photo courtesy of University of California San Diego]

University of California San Diego engineers have prototyped an inexpensive device that clips onto a smartphone to monitor a user’s blood pressure.

The 3D-printed device uses the smartphone’s camera and flash paired with an algorithm on an app to take systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings.

“We’ve created an inexpensive solution to lower the barrier to blood pressure monitoring,” study first author Yinan (Tom) Xuan, an electrical and computer engineering Ph.D. student at UCSD, said in a news release.

Xuan published the team’s findings this week in Scientific Reports with senior author and electrical and computer engineering professor Edward Wang, who’s also director of the UCSD Digital Health Lab.

“Because of their low cost…

Wearable ultrasound researchers report breakthrough in deep tissue monitoring

This wearable ultrasound device for monitoring tissue stiffness measures 23 mm x 20 mm x 0.8 mm. [Photo courtesy of University of California San Diego]

Wearable ultrasound researchers have developed a stretchable ultrasonic array for serial, noninvasive, 3-D tissue imaging with a penetration depth of up to 4 cm.

The latest device out of Sheng Xu’s lab at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) is able to frequently evaluate the stiffness of human tissue. It could be used to measure the progression of cancer, to monitor muscles, tendons and ligaments, and assess the effectiveness of liver and cardiovascular treatments.

Xu is commercializing the technology through a UCSD spinoff called Softsonics.

“We integrated an array of ultrasound elements into a soft elastomer matrix and used wavy serpentine stretchable electrodes to connect these elements, enabling the device to conform to human sk…

UCSD researchers develop injectable biomaterial for tissue healing

The biomaterial is based on a hydrogel that Christman’s lab developed. [Image courtesy of UCSD]

Researchers at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) developed a new biomaterial that promotes cell and tissue repair.

The injectable biomaterial reduces inflammation and promotes repair, the UCSD researchers say. Testing proved it effective in treating tissue damage caused by heart attacks in both rodent and large animal models. Researchers also provided proof of concept in a rodent model that the biomaterial could benefit patients with traumatic brian injury and pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Karen Christman, professor of bioengineering at UCSD, and lead researcher on the team that developed the material, said they could begin a study on the biomaterial’s safety and efficacy in human subjects within 1-2 years. The team presented its findings in the Dec. 29 issue of Nature Biomedical Eng…

UCSD researchers develop wearable ultrasound device

The UCSD wearable cardiac sensor technology. [Image courtesy of David Baillot, Jacobs School of Engineering, UC San Diego]

Engineers and physicians at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) developed a wearable ultrasound device for assessing heart function and structure.

The device, roughly the size of a postage stamp, features a wear time of up to 24 hours and works during strenuous exercise.

According to the university, the researchers aim to make ultrasound more accessible to a larger population. Sheng Xu, a professor of nanoengineering at UCSD, leads the project. Details of the work done so far published in the Jan. 25 issue of the journal Nature.

“The technology enables anybody to use ultrasound imaging on the go,” Xu said.

Researchers say that, thanks to custom AI algorithms, the device can measure how much blood the heart pumps.

The wearable monitoring system uses ultr…

‘UCSD researchers develop electronic hemoglobin-monitoring patch’

'

A photoacoustic sensor could help clinicians diagnose tumors, organ malfunctions and more. [Image courtesy of Xiaoxiang Gao for the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego (UCSD)]

University of California San Diego (UCSD) researchers developed an electronic patch that can monitor biomolecules in deep tissues.

\n

The technology can monitor hemoglobin, providing medical professionals with access to crucial information for spotting life-threatening conditions. This includes malignant tumors, organ dysfunction, cerebral or gut hemorrhages and more.

\n

Researchers published a paper on the developments in the December 15, 2022 issue of Nature Communications.

\n

â€œThe amount and location of hemoglobin in the body provide critical information about blood perfusion or accumulation in specific locations. Our device shows great potential in close monitoring of high-risk groups, enabling timely intervent…

UCSD researchers develop electronic hemoglobin-monitoring patch

A photoacoustic sensor could help clinicians diagnose life-threatening tumors and organ malfunctions. [Image courtesy of Xiaoxiang Gao for the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego]

University of California San Diego (UCSD) researchers developed an electronic patch that can monitor biomolecules in deep tissues.

The technology can monitor hemoglobin, providing medical professionals with access to crucial information for spotting life-threatening conditions. This includes malignant tumors, organ dysfunction, cerebral or gut hemorrhages and more.

Researchers published a paper on the developments in the December 15, 2022 issue of Nature Communications.

“The amount and location of hemoglobin in the body provide critical information about blood perfusion or accumulation in specific locations,” said Sheng Xu, professor of nanoengineering at UC San Diego and corresponding author of the study. ̶…

New semiconductor design boosts AI computing efficiency

The NeuRRAM chip [Photo by David Baillot for the University of California San Diego]

Medical devices could one day get a boost from a new energy-efficient semiconductor designed with AI computing in mind.

Stanford engineers have developed a new resistive random-access memory (RRAM) chip called NeuRRAM that does AI processing within the chip’s memory, saving the battery power traditionally spent moving data between the processor and storage.

“The data movement issue is similar to spending eight hours in commute for a two-hour workday,” Weier Wan, a recent graduate at Stanford leading this project, said in a news release. “With our chip, we are showing a technology to tackle this challenge.”

They say their compute-in-memory (CIM) chip is about the size of a fingertip and does more work with limited battery power than current chips. That makes the new chip a potential space-saver for medical de…

This steerable catheter for the brain could improve aneurysm treatment

A fluoroscopic image of the steerable catheter navigating a brain artery in a pig and deploying coils. [Image courtesy UC San Diego researchers]Researchers at the University of California in San Diego have developed a way to make steerable catheters that can precisely navigate the brain vasculature.

The team of researchers designed the device to navigate the brain’s arteries and blood vessels to treat aneurysms and other neurological conditions. It was inspired by insect legs and flagella tail-like structures that allow microscopic organisms to swim, according to the researchers.

So far, the steerable catheter has been successfully tested in pigs at the Center for Future of Surgery at UC San Diego.

Get the full story on our sister site, Medical Tubing + Extrusion.

This steerable catheter for the brain could improve aneurysm treatment

A fluoroscopic image of the steerable catheter navigating a brain artery in a pig and deploying coils. [Image courtesy UC San Diego researchers]

Researchers at the University of California in San Diego have developed a way to make steerable catheters that can precisely navigate the brain vasculature.

The team of researchers designed the device to navigate the brain’s arteries and blood vessels to treat aneurysms and other neurological conditions. It was inspired by insect legs and flagella tail-like structures that allow microscopic organisms to swim, according to the researchers.

So far, the steerable cat…