Show notes February 25, 2022
Story 1: MIT’s new robotic platform can dramatically speed the evolution of microbial populations to help cancer and other medical research
Source: MIT News Story by Anne Trafton
Link: https://news.mit.edu/2021/robotic-directed-evolution-molecules-1230
- Okay, this is very geeky stuff, but very important for medical research.
- First, some background:
- To support a wide range of medical research, scientists in recent years have developed ways to accelerate the evolution of microbial populations [such as a community of bacteria] in the lab.
- This process of accelerating evolution is called “Directed Evolution”
- Directed evolution is being increasingly used to accelerate genetic mutations and thus help engineer new or improved enzymes and whole genomes [which refers to the complete set of genetic information in an organism].
- For example, directed evolution has yielded new antibodies to treat cancer and other diseases.
- But, to date, directed evolution has been limited to small-scale procedures.
- That’s all going to change thanks to Massachusetts Institute of Technology Researchers who recently announced a robotic platform that super charges the process of directed evolution.
- MIT’s new process outperforms current techniques by making it possible to conduct 100 times as many directed-evolution experiments in parallel, giving many more microbial populations the chance to develop new molecules that could help lead to breakthrough medical treatment discoveries.
Story 2: Stanford Scientists have created an ultrathin, lightweight alternative to silicon chips for solar panels
Source: SciTechDaily.com
- What if you could have impossibly thin, flexible solar panels as an alternative to today’s silicon, chip-based solar panels which are bulky, heavy, and not flexible.
- Solar panels so thin and flexible they could be used for mobile applications, from self-powered wearable devices and sensors to lightweight aircraft and electric vehicles.
- That’s what a team of scientists at Stanford University recently announced.
- Their new super thin solar cells can be made into sheets 15 times thinner than a piece of paper!
- The key to this stunning achievement is the use of transition metal dichalcogenides to create a new family of 2D nanosheets with atomically thin semiconductors
- There’re are so many more details in the article we don’t have time to dig in to, but I wanted to highlight this breakthrough that could change our world!
Story 3: A new sustainable disinfectant made from sawdust kills deadly microbes
Source: Science News Story by Carolyn Wilke
Link: https://www.sciencenews.org/article/disinfectant-sawdust-kill-deadly-microbes-sustainable
- If you think sawdust is only good for making particle boards, think again!
- Researchers at the Fudan University in Shanghai have created a new, sustainable disinfectant made from sawdust and water that can knock out more than 99 percent of some disease-causing microbes, including anthrax and several strains of flu.
- The new low-cost formula could provide a much needed and more environmentally friendly disinfectant alternative to such harsh things as bleach.
- Today many “green” disinfectants rely on a compound called phenol or its chemical lookalikes, which are costly and energy-intensive to make.
- Turns out that phenol structures abound in wood, as part of the large, branching molecules that make a tree’s cell walls.
- The researchers at Fudan University wondered if sawdust waste could provide a greener source of phenol.
- So, here’s what they did — The researchers cooked mixtures of water and sawdust for one hour under pressure and filtered them.
- The pressure cooker process broke down the molecular chains in the sawdust, releasing the antimicrobial phenolic molecules.
- In one experiment, the team tested the sawdust concoction for its ability to kill E. coli.
- The result: Depending on the sawdust-based disinfectant’s level of concentration, it could zap more than 99 percent of this microbe – and many others too.
Story 4: Experimental Robot Surgeon Can Operate Without Human Help
Source: Gizmodo.com Story by Ed Cara
Link: https://gizmodo.com/experimental-robot-surgeon-can-operate-without-human-he-1848426703
Source 2: Medical and Life Sciences News Story by Emily Henderson
- Researchers at Johns Hopkins University recently announced that, for the first time, their robot surgeon performed a delicate abdominal surgical procedure on a pig without the assistance of humans.
- Of course, the use of robots in operating rooms isn’t new. However, the University’s Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot is the first robotic system to plan, adapt, and execute a complex soft tissue surgical procedure without any human intervention.
- And here’s how it worked using its:
- highly advanced artificial intelligence,
- sophisticated visual guidance system,
- specialized suturing tools
- and articulate robot arms, the robot surgeon autonomously performed on a pig one of the most intricate and delicate tasks in surgery: the reconnection of two ends of an intestine.
- The researchers noted, however, that for now their Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot will continue to play the role of assistant to human surgeons.
- However, the Johns Hopkins team says they can envision a future where “autonomous robotic surgery systems could help treat patients in trauma situations on the way to the hospital.”
Story 5: New Sensor Tells You How Well Your Mask Is Working
Source: Scientific American Story by Sophie Bushwick
Link: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-sensor-tells-you-how-well-your-mask-is-working/
See video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zENpI85PDA
- Researchers at Northwestern University have developed a lightweight, reusable sensor that clips onto a face mask to monitor how well it’s working.
- The device, called FaceBit, uses several sensors to detect leaks and records wear time while continuously measuring the user’s heart and breathing rate.
- The goal is to help health care and other workers who wear face coverings throughout the day monitor the effectiveness of their mask.
- About the size of a quarter, the FaceBit electronic sensor attaches to a mask with a magnetic clip.
- A pressure sensor detects leaks, indicating how well a mask is fitting.
- A Bluetooth connection transmits its monitoring data to a companion phone app.
- The device is powered by a battery, which is supplementally charged with energy harvested from the mask’s motions as its wearer moves and breathes.
- This lets FaceBit function for at least 11 days at a time.