Biophysics and bioengineering

Editor's choice

Predicting the risk of pregnancy complications

Nanosensor predicts risk of complications in early pregnancy

A photo of a mantis shrimp, taken face-on, showing its goggly blue eyes, thin red antennae, body, and two greenish-yellow appendages dangling on either side of its body. These are the dactyl clubs.

‘Phononic shield’ protects mantis shrimp from its own shock waves

Patterned armour-like structure filters out damaging frequencies, say researchers

Harvard’s springtail-like jumping robot leaps into action

The robotic springtail can jump some 1.4 m, or 23 times its body length

Latest articles

A model stretch: explaining the rheology of developing tissue

Photo of the sneeze simulator being tested in the laboratory. The simulator is a three-dimensional model that incorporates a representation of the nasal cavity as well as other parts of the human upper respiratory tract, and it's shown here as an apparatus inside a transparent box, bathed in green light and emitting a burst of aerosols while being tended by a person in a lab coat

‘Sneeze simulator’ could improve predictions of pathogen spread

Confocal microscope image showing cables formed by bacterial cells. The cells appear to be glowing green against a black background and the cables resemble a pile of partially wadded-up rubber bands or strings

Bacterial ‘cables’ form a living gel in mucus

Nanoparticles demonstrate new and unexpected mechanism of coronavirus disinfection

Titania nanoparticles damage enveloped viruses by directly binding with membrane phospholipids – a previously unknown mode of antiviral action

Tissue-like hydrogel semiconductors show promise for next-generation bioelectronics

A new hydrogel material combines the characteristics of biological tissues with the electronic functionalities of semiconductors

Imaging reveals how microplastics may harm the brain

Studies in mice show that microplastics entering the bloodstream are engulfed by immune cells, forming clusters that can block cerebral blood vessels

Ceryx Medical: company uses bioelectronics to coordinate the heart and lungs

Biomedical engineer Stuart Plant and physicist Ashok Chauhan are our podcast guests

Higher-order brain function revealed by new analysis of fMRI data

Technique distinguishes between tasks done by subjects

Medical physics and biotechnology: highlights of 2024

From proton therapy firsts to tumour-killing quantum dots, Tami Freeman shares her pick of this year’s healthcare innovations

Reports on biofabrication

Matt Davidson with a 3D printed material for medical applications

3D printing creates strong, stretchy hydrogels that stick to tissue

A new 3D printing method fabricates entangled hydrogels for medical applications

Ultrasound-activated sono-inks could print 3D structures inside the human body

A novel technique that uses ultrasound to create objects from sonically cured inks could enable 3D printing at deep penetration depths, potentially including inside the body

A wound-healing ink can be 3D printed directly into injuries

Paintable bioactive ink heals wounds of any shape or size

A wound-healing ink that can be 3D printed directly into injuries aims to accelerate the body’s natural healing process

Vascular grafts created by weaving threads of amniotic membrane

Researchers fabricate small-diameter vascular grafts by weaving threads of human amniotic membrane into tubes

Engineered spinal cord implants restore movement to paralysed mice

Functional human spinal cord implants produced from belly fat could help those with spinal injuries walk again

Cryobioprinting could make off-the-shelf tissue-engineered structures a reality

Cryogenic 3D bioprinting of artificial muscle fibres reaches sub-zero temperatures

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Videos

Illustration of artificial organ implanted inside a human body

Virtual patient populations enable more inclusive medical device development

An image of several dozen squishy silicone rings laid out side by side and viewed from the top. The bright orange and green rings resemble cells and are mostly touching each other, but there are some gaps between rings.

Squishy silicone rings shine a spotlight on fluid-solid transition

A portable laser-based headset for stroke risk assessment

Laser-based headset assesses stroke risk using the brain’s blood flow

Explore more in biophysics and bioengineering

Jogger illustrating the impact of exercise on tumour suppression

Mathematical model sheds light on how exercise suppresses tumour growth

A simple mathematical model examines the intricate relationship between exercise, immune function and cancer

The mechanics of squirting cucumbers revealed

The researchers revealed that the mechanism has been fine-tuned to ensure optimal seed dispersal

Magnetoelectric nanodiscs deliver non-invasive brain stimulation in mice

Injectable magnetoelectric nanodiscs may activate neurons in localized brain regions when stimulated by a weak external magnetic field, say MIT scientists

Nanoflake-based breath sensor delivers ultrasensitive lung cancer screening

Gas sensor made from nanoflakes of indium oxide-based materials successfully identifies individuals with lung cancer

Chip-based optical tweezers manipulate microparticles and cells from a distance

Integrated optical phased array uses a tightly focused beam of light to trap and manipulate biological particles

Bioabsorbable electrical stimulation suture

Electrical sutures accelerate wound healing

Surgical stitches that generate electrical charge speed up the healing of muscle wounds in rats

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Jonathan Tsui and Stefanie Countryman with the heart-on-a-chip

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