The human body’s immune system is like a vast team of special agents. Certain cells called T cells each individually specialize in recognizing a particular intruder, such as the influenza virus or salmonella. Determining a given T cell’s target is a critical step in designing personalized treatments for cancers and developing vaccines. Now, a team…
New Microchip Technology Could Be Used to Track ‘Smart Pills’
Researchers at Caltech have developed a prototype miniature medical device that could ultimately be used in “smart pills” to diagnose and treat diseases. A key to the new technology–and what makes it unique among other microscale medical devices–is that its location can be precisely identified within the body, something that proved challenging before. “The dream…
Novel Viral Vectors Deliver Useful Cargo to Neurons Throughout the Brain and Body
Viruses have evolved to be highly effective vehicles for delivering genes into cells. Seeking to take advantage of these traits, scientists can reprogram viruses to function as vectors, capable of carrying their genetic cargo of choice into the nuclei of cells in the body. Such vectors have become critical tools for delivering genes to treat…