Credit: Africa Studio/Shutterstock; Quidel Corporation, San Diego, CA

Channel Medsystems, a medtech company based in California, created the Cerene cryotherapy device for the treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding. Heavy menstrual bleeding can affect quality of life for many women, and the condition can be associated with abdominal pain, cramping, and tiredness.    

Researchers at Boston University engineered a heart chamber on a chip that can beat by itself. The technology relies on cardiomyocytes generated from induced pluripotent stem cells and small acrylic valves that allow the fluid pumped by the chamber to come and go.

Cionic, a medtech company based in San Francisco, created the Neural Sleeve, a wearable that is designed to enhance movement for those with mobility issues.

The company describes its device as a bionic garment, and it has recently been cleared by the FDA for use in those with neurological conditions that can impair mobility, such as Cerebral Palsy and Multiple Sclerosis.

Digital health solutions have helped to democratize access for underserved individuals and communities. With both increasing maturity and adoption across generations, the ability for these technologies to address the challenges faced by older adults and aging populations continues to be an area of interest. Examples of this interest include TechStars’ recent launch of its Future of Longevity Accelerator and AARP’s AgeTech Collaborative.

Researchers at Oregon State University developed a nanoparticle system that can aid with the removal of endometrial lesions in a minimally invasive fashion. In endometriosis, endometrial tissue grows outside of the uterus, causing pain and affecting fertility. Surgery to remove these lesions is often unsuccessful and repeat surgeries are often required. The research team’s nanoparticle technology can aid in minimally invasively destroying such lesions.

Scientists at Penn State developed a method to print a ‘bone’ construct during a surgical procedure. The technique is intended to allow surgeons to rapidly fill bony defects that would not easily heal by themselves, and the researchers have turbo-charged the technique by including genes that promote bone formation. Consequently, they describe the resulting printed bioconstruct as a “gene-activated matrix”.

Caption: Here I am with Paul Farmer, who was a strong voice for improving TB prevention and treatments in resource-scarce settings, when he came to NIH in 2007 to deliver my institute’s James C. Hill Memorial Lecture. Credit: NIH