Medical Design Briefs - January 2025 - 18

n Nanofiber Patch for Psoriasis
Researchers have
developed a patch
for easier and more
effective treatment
of psoriasis. The
method may also be
used in treatment
of other inflammatory
skin diseases.
The dry patch contains active ingredients for treatment of psoriasis
reduces the frequency of use to once a day.
The patch is designed to contain two active ingredients at
once and release them onto the skin at different rates. The
researchers used electrospinning to produce the patch - a
method where high voltage is applied to a polymer solution
to produce synthetic nanofibers. The fibers are then used
to make a fiber mat that may be attached to the skin like a
plaster.
The researchers are still working on the patch. More research,
product development, and clinical trials are needed before
the method is ready for use. According to the researchers,
a patch containing active ingredients may be an alternative to
creams and ointments in the treatment of other inflammatory
skin diseases, for instance atopic eczema. It may also be useful
in connection with wound healing. (Image credit: University of
Copenhagen)
For more information, visit www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/
roundup/0125/nanofiber-patch.
n Bedside Blood Test
A new handheld, sound-based
diagnostic system can deliver
precise results in an hour with
a mere finger prick of blood.
The researchers used tiny particles
they call functional negative
acoustic contrast particles
(fNACPs) and a custom-built,
handheld instrument or acoustic
pipette that delivers sound waves
to the blood samples inside.
The fNACPs (essentially cellsized
rubber balls) can be customized
with functional coatings
so they recognize and capture a
designated biomarker of interest,
such as an infectious virus or a protein deemed a red flag
for a brewing health problem. The particles also respond to the
pressure from sound waves differently than blood cells. The
acoustic pipette harnesses this unique response.
This could be particularly useful for assessing not only whether
a patient has an infectious disease but also what their viral
load is and how fast it is growing. The device could also potentially
play a role in measuring antibodies to determine whether
someone needed a booster shot or not, testing for allergies,
or detecting proteins associated with certain cancers. (Image
credit: University of Colorado Boulder)
For more information, visit www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/
roundup/0125/bedside-test.
18
n DNA Origami Sensor
A team has developed a
general, modular strategy for
designing sensors that can be
easily adapted to various target
molecules and concentration
ranges. The new modular sensor
has the potential to significantly
accelerate the development
of new diagnostic tools
for research.
The sensor uses a DNA origami
scaffold, which consists
of two arms connected by a molecular hinge. Each arm is tagged
with a fluorescent dye, and the distance between the tags is recorded
by means of fluorescence resonance energy transfer
(FRET). In a closed state, the two arms are parallel; when the
structure opens, the arms fold out to form an angle of up to
90°.
The origami scaffold can be equipped with docking sites
for various biomolecular targets such as nucleic acids, antibodies,
and proteins. Whether the sensor is open or closed
depends on the binding of the respective target molecule
to the origami scaffold. The sensor can thus be deliberately
adapted and optimized through the use of additional binding
sites or stabilizing DNA strands. (Image credit: LudwigMaximilians
University)
For more information, visit www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/
roundup/0125/origami-sensor.
n Device Detects Cancer in An Hour
Researchers have created
a portable device
that can detect colorectal
and prostate cancer
more cheaply and
quickly than prevailing
methods. The team believes
the device may
be especially helpful in
developing countries,
which experience higher cancer mortality rates due in part to
barriers to medical diagnosis.
The microfluidic device uses an innovative paper-in-polymerpond
structure in which patient blood samples are introduced
into tiny wells and onto a special kind of paper. The paper captures
cancer protein biomarkers within the blood samples in
just a few minutes. The paper subsequently changes color, and
the intensity of the color indicates what type of cancer is detected
and how far it has progressed.
The device can analyze a sample in an hour - compared to
16 hours using some traditional methods. According to study
results, the device is also about 10 times more sensitive than traditional
methods even without using specialized instruments.
That means the device can detect cancer biomarkers that are
present in smaller quantities, typical of cancer in its early stages.
A less-sensitive device may not pick up on the smaller quantities.
(Image credit: University of Texas at El Paso)
For more information, visit www.medicaldesignbriefs.com/
roundup/0125/cancer-device.
www.medicaldesignbriefs.com
Medical Design Briefs, January 2025
Medical Design Briefs - January 2025

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Medical Design Briefs - January 2025
