Lifeboat Foundation

Small, shelled, and unassuming, chitons have eyes unlike any other creature in the animal kingdom.

Some of these marine mollusks have thousands of bulbous little peepers embedded in their segmented shells, all with lenses made of a mineral called aragonite. Although tiny and primitive, these sensory organs called ocelli are thought to be capable of true vision, distinguishing shapes as well as light.

Other chiton species, however, sport smaller ‘eyespots’ that function more like individual pixels, much like the components of an insect’s or mantis shrimp’s compound eye, forming a visual sensor distributed over the chiton’s shell.

For decades, people with diabetes have relied on finger pricks to withdraw blood or adhesive microneedles to measure and manage their glucose levels. In addition to being painful, these methods can cause itching, inflammation and infection.

Foundation models, advanced artificial intelligence systems trained on large-scale datasets, hold the potential to provide unprecedented advancements for the medical field. In computational pathology (CPath), these models may excel in diagnostic accuracy, prognostic insights, and predicting therapeutic responses.

Monitoring levels of DNA shed by tumors and circulating in the bloodstream could help doctors accurately assess how gastroesophageal cancers are responding to treatment, and potentially predict future prognosis, suggests a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and its Bloomberg–Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy.

At first glance, Rabih O. Al-Kaysi’s molecular motors look like the microscopic worms you’d see in a drop of pond water. But these wriggling ribbons are not alive; they’re devices made from crystallized molecules that perform coordinated movements when exposed to light. With continued development, Al-Kaysi and colleagues say, their tiny machines could be used by physicians as drug-delivery robots or engineered into arrays that direct the flow of water around submarines.

Exploring the cutting edge of genetic engineering, the development of programmable recombinases and zinc finger domains is ushering in a new era of precision in DNA manipulation. These advances enable precise genomic alterations, from single nucleotide changes to the insertion of large DNA segments, potentially transforming the landscape of therapeutic gene editing and opening new possibilities in personalised medicine.

Amidst rapid technological advancements, Tiny AI is emerging as a silent powerhouse. Imagine algorithms compressed to fit microchips yet capable of recognizing faces, translating languages, and predicting market trends. Tiny AI operates discreetly within our devices, orchestrating smart homes and propelling advancements in personalized medicine.

Tiny AI excels in efficiency, adaptability, and impact by utilizing compact neural networks, streamlined algorithms, and edge computing capabilities. It represents a form of artificial intelligence that is lightweight, efficient, and positioned to revolutionize various aspects of our daily lives.

Looking into the future, quantum computing and neuromorphic chips are new technologies taking us into unexplored areas. Quantum computing works differently than regular computers, allowing for faster problem-solving, realistic simulation of molecular interactions, and quicker decryption of codes. It is not just a sci-fi idea anymore; it’s becoming a real possibility.

In the first clinical trial of a targeted pharmacologic therapeutic for mild traumatic brain injury in pediatric patients, scientists from the Minds Matter Concussion Frontier Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have found preliminary evidence that adolescents and young adults with concussion who take a specific formulation of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplements after injury experience faster symptom reduction and return to physical activity.

A team of Northwestern University scientists has developed the first wireless, implantable temperature sensor to detect inflammatory flareups in patients with Crohn’s disease. The approach offers long-term, real-time monitoring and could enable clinicians to act earlier to prevent or limit the permanent damage caused by inflammatory episodes.