IBM Microfluids Could Be New Tool in Fight Against Cancer
Cancer ranks right up there with "hunger" as one of humanity's oldest enemies. And, on top of building out 3D chips powered by electronic blood and other bits of science-fiction craziness, IBM researchers have developed new diagnostic tests to help spot cancer in biopsies.
Typically, a biopsy involves cutting out a test piece of tissue from a person and running tests to check for the presence of cancerous cells or proto-oncogenes, which can be an early warning sign of high cancer risk. These tests use different chemicals which are absorbed by the cells along different metabolic pathways, allowing them to distinguish healthy cells, which process glucose and nutrients properly, and cancerous cells, which operate a little differently.
As you might suspect though, biopsies taken from organs like the brain or heart are dangerous, and scientists are severely limited in the quantity of cells they can gather before they risk severe damage to the patient. IBM's new technology uses microfluidics which reduces the surface area required to an area just a smidge larger than the width of a human hair.
With the more efficient use of space, not only will less tissue need to be collected from patients, but the accuracy of those tests is also expected to improve as more runs can be performed on the same surface area – reducing the chance of mistakes.
CNET has the full story, as well as some really spectacular pictures of the device in action, but it's just one more example of new ways technology can, hopefully, be used to improve lives and help people get treatment for one of the deadliest diseases.
If you really don't think this is the direction the U.S. is going, just look at the doctors and hospitals that are going to participate in Obama care. Now imagine what doctors and hospitals will do when their only choice is to work with the government or not work in medicine at all. Medical schools will start dropping left and right from lack of enrolement. It is all very depressing to know of all the human inginuity that will be stifled by this government power grab.
Also its not like IBM is funded by you medical insurance you know, at the end of the day if the product works and its not a complete rip off then it will sell. The same goes for any advances in the future.
Research is not funded by your insurance, it does not matter how your health care is funded. At the end of the day the research is paid for by how much they can sell the equipment that they make. I dont see how you changing your healthcare system affects that in any way. The world does not revolve around the US no matter how much some of you seem to think it does. You are just one country and the only thing that you spend on more than any other is your military. When it comes to healthcare and research other countries spend far more per capita that you
If you ignore lots of what is going on in health care, sure. There must be a balance. We need advancement but we don’t need 15 different boner pills. Companies lie, cheat and steal, it’s a fact. They get laws changed so there is less regulation and then you end up with 100s of people being injected with fungus that kills them or their on meds for the rest of the life because companies just can’t help themselves. It’s like my mom’s cancer treatments. $$$TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS$$$ a pop and guess what? The company that sells it is just so ok with that. What the patent on the last drug that worked better is up? Let push that new crappy one so we can get a new patent. What, work on a cure? That is madness, how can we make money on that? That is the garbage you’re getting for spending more than any other nation, a lower quality of life and a shorter lifespan. All along we pay more and more.
But your right, lets deregulate and get rid of schools, police and firefighter and taxes. If people want to know who killed who, they can pay and if they want them to go to jail they can pay and if they…
Anyway - in 25 years it's all be about maintaining the biological/mechanical parts - what are we going to do when virii spread not just from a pr0n site to your laptop, but also to your artificial eye and heart?
Please keep it civil. Thank you all.