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Automated Critical Congenital Heart Disease Screening Combining Non-Invasive Measurements of Oxygenation and Perfusion

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a computer-implemented method for accurately classifying congenital heart defects in newborns using pulse oximetry and machine learning.

Electromechanical Reshaping Electrode/Corneal-Contact Lens

A novel transparent contact lens device enabling real-time monitoring of corneal curvature during electrochemical vision therapy.

Novel Hydrogels For Chronic Wound Healing

Professor Iman Noshadi from the University of California, Riverside have developed a choline BIL-functionalized GelMA hydrogel (BioGel) with multifunctional properties for chronic wound treatment. The invention works by enhancing gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) with a special choline-based bio-ionic liquid, which significantly increases the number of intact vascular tubes compared to standard GelMA. Research results suggest that BioGel can accelerate wound closure, with chronic wounds fully healing in about 21 days. This technology is advantageous over existing treatments because the application of BioGel may accelerate chronic wound closure, reduce biofilm, and promote hair regrowth. 

Onespec: A Novel Expandable Vaginal Examination Device

The next generation pelvic examination device which decreases patient discomfort and enhances visibility to facilitate sample acquisition for diagnostic testing.

Techniques For Predicting Immunization Responses

Brief description not available

Real Time Sensors For PSP Analysis

Brief description not available

Cherenkov-Based Radiation Beam Monitor

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed an innovative Cherenkov-based system for calibrating radiotherapy beams, enabling precise, real-time calibration of radiation dose delivery, including for high-intensity FLASH radiotherapy, improving treatment accuracy and reliability.

Microfluidic Acoustic Methods

The use of standing surface acoustic waves (SSAWs) in microfluidic channels gained significant momentum when researchers demonstrated size-based cell separation (acoustophoresis) using lateral acoustic forces. Using interdigitated transducers (IDTs) positioned on piezoelectric substrates, SSAWs were found to create pressure nodes along the channel width, allowing larger particles to experience greater acoustic radiation forces and migrate toward these nodes faster than smaller particles. Acoustic-based microfluidic devices were successfully applied to circulating tumor cell (CTC) isolation from clinical blood samples in ~2015, demonstrating recovery rates >80% using tilted-angle standing surface acoustic waves, though these systems relied primarily on size-based separation principles. The integration of acoustic methods with microfluidics offered key advantages including label-free operation, biocompatibility, non-contact manipulation, and preservation of cell viability, addressing limitations of earlier methods like centrifugation, FACS, and magnetic separation that could damage cells or require labeling. Despite these advances in acoustic microfluidics, significant challenges persist in affinity-based rare cell isolation, particularly mass transport limitations in microfluidic channels operating at high Peclet numbers (Pe>10⁶) where convective flow dominates over diffusion. In traditional microfluidic affinity capture systems, cells flow predominantly in the center of laminar flow channels where fluid velocity is highest, resulting in minimal interaction with capture agents immobilized on channel walls and requiring extremely long channels or impractically slow flow rates to achieve adequate capture efficiency. The extremely low concentration of CTCs , combined with their phenotypic heterogeneity and the low diffusion coefficients of cells creates a "needle in a haystack" challenge that existing acoustic separation methods based solely on size discrimination cannot adequately address.

Closed-Loop Modulation Of Epileptic Networks

This technology offers a novel approach to treating epilepsy by preventing the spread of epileptic networks and improving memory deficits through targeted electrical stimulation.

Programmable Transcriptional Tuning in Eukaryotic Cells with MeCP2-dCas9

Achieving precise and tunable control over endogenous gene expression in eukaryotic cells remains a significant challenge, particularly for therapeutic applications or detailed biological studies where fine-tuning is required rather than complete on/off switching. This innovation, developed by UC Berkeley researchers, addresses this by providing a novel, programmable method for transcriptional tuning. The innovation is a two-domain fusion protein comprising the transcriptional repression domain (TRD) of the methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD) protein MeCP2 linked to a dead Cas9 (dCas9) domain. When combined with a single guide RNA (sgRNA) that targets a specific endogenous gene, this fusion protein partially inhibits, or "tunes," the expression of that gene. Unlike traditional methods like RNAi or full CRISPR interference (CRISPRi), which often aim for complete knockdown, this system offers a highly specific and titratable way to dial down gene expression, providing a distinct advantage in studies requiring subtle modulation of gene dosage or for developing dose-dependent therapeutic strategies.

Piezoelectric Polymers

The challenge in utilizing α-Linolenic acid (ALA) for medical adhesives has been its poor water solubility and the high hydrophobicity of poly(ALA), typically necessitating elevated temperatures, organic solvents, or complex preparation methods for tissue application. UC Berkeley researchers have developed ALA-based powder and low-viscosity liquid superglues that overcome this limitation by polymerizing and bonding rapidly upon contact with wet tissue. The versatile adhesives are formulated using a monomeric mixture of ALA, sodium lipoate, and an activated ester of lipoic acid. These adhesives demonstrate high flexibility, cell and tissue compatibility, biodegradability, and potential for sustained drug delivery as a small molecule regenerative drug was successfully incorporated and released without altering the adhesive's properties. Additionally, the inherent ionic nature of the adhesives provides high electric conductivity and sensitivity to deformation, enabling their use as a tissue-adherent strain sensor.

Auto Single Respiratory Gate by Deep Data Driven Gating for PET

In PET imaging, patient motion, such as respiratory and cardiac motion, are a major source of blurring and motion artifacts. Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a technology designed to enhance PET imaging resolution without the need for external devices by effectively mitigating these artifacts

On-Demand Functionalized Textiles For Drag-And-Drop Near Field Body Area Networks

This technology introduces a flexible, secure, and scalable approach to creating body area networks (BANs) using textile-integrated metamaterials for advanced healthcare monitoring.

Engineered Botulinum Neurotoxin for Therapeutic and Cosmetic Applications

This technology offers a significant improvement in the therapeutic application of type E botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT/E) by introducing rationally designed mutations into the receptor binding domain.

Flow Measurement With Dual Energy CT

An innovative technology that uses dual energy CT to measure blood flow in organs, offering a non-invasive, accurate assessment of diseases like INOCA.

CoDesign.X: Evaluating Pediatric Room Design using VR and Biosensors

      Poorly designed healthcare environments can increase patient stress and delay recovery, particularly in pediatric settings (see, e.g., Devlin & Andrade 2017; Park et al. 2018; Jafarifiroozabadi et al. 2023). Traditional methods for gathering architectural design feedback, such as interviews, surveys, and focus groups, rely heavily on subjective user input, and often fail to capture the voices of children by relying on parent proxies. Physical mock-ups, a common alternative to traditional methods, provide a full-scale model of a room or space, often constructed from materials like cardboard or foam. While these mock-ups allow for some degree of spatial exploration, they are time-intensive, and limited in their ability to replicate real-world conditions; high-fidelity mock-ups which incorporate more realistic materials and finishes add expense and limit flexibility for testing multiple design iterations.       To overcome these challenges UC Berkeley researchers have developed an innovative participatory design methodology that leverages advanced virtual reality (VR), eye-tracking, and physiological/emotional biofeedback technologies to evaluate the design of pediatric healthcare environments. This comprehensive system is further enhanced by custom-developed workflows for creating dynamic, interactive room simulations that are randomized to ensure rigorous, unbiased data collection. The methodology is uniquely capable of gathering objective, quantifiable data on how pediatric patients and their families respond physiologically and emotionally to specific environmental design features.

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