Bio and Medicine

In the “Mission: Impossible” films, superspy Ethan Hunt—played by Tom Cruise—gets orders from his superiors on various devices that self-destruct in five seconds. Could electronics disintegrate into nothing in real life? Binghamton University Professor Seokheun “Sean” Choi has researched disposable “papertronics” over the past 20 years, but the hardest part about making so-called transient electronics is the battery.

Inspired by the way viruses attach to cells, EPFL scientists have developed a method for engineering ultra-selective aptamers.

Current methods of antibody detection, such as conventional serological assays, are limited in terms of the amount of information they can process in a single test. Although more recent techniques have made it possible to increase the number of simultaneous measurements, they are still restricted by interference in the detection signals.

A good drug should cure without harming. A lot depends, however, not so much on the therapeutic substance itself, as on the way it is administered—it should precisely reach the affected area, in a specific amount, for a sufficiently long period of time. This is exactly how mats made of polymer fibers containing the antibacterial metronidazole work.

Scientists have made a key breakthrough in treating respiratory diseases by developing a new drug delivery system that transports genetic therapies directly to the lungs, opening promising possibilities for patients with conditions like lung cancer and cystic fibrosis.