New medical technologies of the future: from hospitals and laboratories to everyday life

In the past few years, thanks to unprecedented developments in biology, electronics and human genetics, scientists have developed a range of new devices to protect and improve human health. Advanced medical technology and sophisticated data analysis methods are breaking through the traditional limitations of these fields and moving from hospitals and laboratories into people's daily lives.

The following short articles briefly introduce several of the most promising new technologies, covering areas such as personalized gene sequencing, artificial vision, cancer, implantable health monitors, and mental illness. Not every one of these technologies will be successful, but overall, they show that new technologies will play a more important role not only in treating diseases, but also in preventing them.

Personalized medicine

When the Human Genome Project was launched 25 years ago, people thought that this project to decipher the "manual of human composition" would require hundreds of sequencers, $3 billion and 15 years to complete. In 2003, the sequencing of the first human genome sequence was successfully completed, but this major scientific achievement was only a rough sketch, with huge gaps to be filled.

Time flies. In January 2012, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the most eye-catching thing among the dazzling array of gambling machines and flat-screen TVs was a gene sequencer. This white appliance was about the size of a printer. It could sequence a person's entire genome in a few hours at a price of $1,000. With such affordable gene sequencers coming to the market, industry observers predict that the era of comprehensive genetic testing for ordinary people has arrived.

What people don’t realize, however, is that whole genome sequencing, whether ordered through a doctor or purchased online, has no real medical value. The main problem is that the technology is developing too fast, and researchers’ ability to interpret the results has not kept up. For example, each person’s genome sequencing results must be compared with a large number of other people’s sequencing results so that doctors can know which are important indicators of disease and which can be ignored. In addition, many diseases are caused by rare mutations that scientists have not yet identified. So far, the small number of patients who have benefited from whole genome sequencing have mostly had rare and obvious genetic mutations. What does this mean for the rest of us? We will have to wait and see.

By Nancy Shute

Electronic biochemical eye

Finnish man Tejo suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic disease that destroys the photoreceptor cells in the retina. Soon after entering middle age, he completely lost his vision. A few years ago, researchers at the University of Tübingen in Germany implanted a chip into Tejo's retina. The chip replaced the damaged photoreceptor cells (i.e., rods and cones) in the retina. There are 1,500 small squares on the chip, each of which contains a photodiode, an amplifier, and an electrode. When light shines on a photodiode, a weak current is generated, which is amplified by the amplifier and transmitted to the electrode, stimulating nearby bipolar cells to generate signals, which are then transmitted to the brain through the optic nerve. The more light that shines on the photodiode, the stronger the current generated.

The retinal chip has opened a window to the world for Tejo, allowing him to see an area about the size of an A4 printer paper about 1 meter away. Through this window, Tejo can distinguish the basic shapes and outlines of people and objects, especially when there is a strong contrast between light and dark. This has dramatically changed the way Tejo interacts with the world. For the first time in 10 years, he can see and recognize some objects, such as tableware and fruit, read letters printed in large fonts, and recognize his relatives.

Since then, researchers have continued to make advances, making implants safer and more portable. The latest chip is wireless and has been implanted in 10 people so far. Patients can also adjust the brightness and contrast of their field of vision.

By Ferris Jabbar

Early detection of cancer

Some tiny particles may solve a major medical problem. These so-called nanoparticles are only a few nanometers in diameter (a nanometer is one billionth of a meter), and 500 of them are lined up together to make a strand of human hair as wide as a strand of hair. Scientists are modifying them to accomplish a variety of tasks: delivering drugs to specific parts of the body; getting clearer images of organs... Now, they have another use: scientists want to use these tiny particles to detect cancer cells, no matter where they are hiding.

Currently, commonly used imaging tools can only detect tumors when they are large enough to be visible on scans. Nanoparticles can detect a single cancer cell in a sample of 10 million normal cells. Nanoparticles can also help doctors distinguish whether a tumor is a malignant growth, progressive inflammation, or a benign lesion. In theory, through this technology, doctors can also know how fast the cancer is growing and what treatment measures should be taken.

Scientists also want to create special nanoparticles that can perform multiple tasks, such as showing tumors during magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, and even delivering drugs. With such nanoparticles, doctors can confirm whether the drug has reached the place where it should be and how effective it is.

By Katherine Harmon

Smart implantable devices

Biomedical engineers are developing small, implantable monitoring devices to give doctors more information to help them decide how to best treat patients with chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Implantable devices can wirelessly send data from key parts of the body or the blood to receiving devices outside the body. Scientists are now developing devices for two of the most common diseases:

Heart Attack A monitoring device called the Angel Medical Guardian, which is about the size of a pacemaker, monitors the heartbeat. For patients who have recently had a heart attack but do not need a pacemaker or defibrillator, the device can detect abnormal heartbeats, such as sudden acceleration or irregular beating. If the device detects an impending heart attack, it vibrates, and an external pager sounds, alerting the patient to seek help.

Abnormal glucose levels A US company has developed a new implantable glucose sensor. This device can continuously monitor the patient's subcutaneous glucose level, thereby reflecting the blood sugar concentration. Therefore, compared with the monitoring method of fingertip blood sampling, the device can obtain more accurate and complete information to guide the dosage and time of insulin injection. Because this sensor is implanted, it does not need to be maintained from time to time like the currently commonly used in vitro monitoring equipment.

By Katherine Harmon

Blood tests for mental illness

Since the 1990s, British researchers have been collecting brain tissue from deceased schizophrenia patients. They found that the levels of at least 50 proteins in the samples were higher or lower than those in healthy people. In 2006, scientists also found similar biochemical differences in the cerebrospinal fluid and blood of living schizophrenia patients. By testing the concentrations of 51 proteins and other compounds in the blood, schizophrenia patients and healthy people can be distinguished with 80% accuracy.

Based on this, the researchers developed a schizophrenia blood test device that can detect the above 51 marker proteins. Although this device has not yet been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, psychiatrists have used it as a reference (tests performed only in the laboratory do not need to be approved by the FDA, but when used on humans, they need to meet strict standards).

Psychiatrists agree that these devices can distinguish schizophrenia from drug-induced psychosis, and they also believe that they can help people with depression accept that they have the disease and need treatment.

By Ferris Jabbar