CIMIT blog

Young Kids at High Risk of Traumatic Brain Injury

Imagine: you take your child to the playground, watch her climb up the tallest slide, and on the way down she loses her balance and slips off hitting her head, hard. You rush to your daughter, but she doesn’t cry; you immediately know something is terribly wrong. Severe injury to her brain has induced a coma, and potentially changed her life forever.

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs every 16 seconds nationwide, making brain injury the most frequent cause of disability and death under the age of 35. Of the 1.7 million Americans who sustain a TBI annually, over half are children, 275,000 are hospitalized, and 52,000 die.

Children mend fairly easily, though not when it comes to TBI. Children’s skulls are only 1/8 as strong as that of adults, making children especially vulnerable to injury. Fortunately, there is promising, cutting-edge research in the field of TBI treatment and rehabilitation.

The TBI and Neurotrama Program within CIMIT is dedicated to the development of new and innovative treatments for patients and families. Each day, the use of robotics, virtual reality and gaming, data analysis and functional MRIs, allow doctors and researchers to gain a better understanding of TBI and its effects on the patients as well as the endless web of individuals touched by tragedy.

The good news is awareness about traumatic brain injury is increasing – through continuous efforts of national organizations like the Brain Injury Association of America and Department of Defense millions have been dedicated to protecting against these potentially life-threatening injuries. Additional support and funding comes from the NFL Players Association committee whose goal is to address diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of brain injuries, and the long-term cumulative effects of isolated or repetitive TBI.

Because TBI cannot be cured, steps must be taken to prevent an injury from occurring. The recent death of actress Natasha Richardson induced by a fall while skiing on a beginner trail raises awareness of the subtle yet fatal dangers of TBI. Our returning wounded warriors from Afghanistan and Iraq are further reminders that helmets and seatbelts cannot protect everyone. It is time to learn more about diagnosing and treating all TBI patients – soldiers, athletes and children too.

Robert Langer Gives Advice to Inventors

Robert Langer, PhD, David H. Koch Institute Professor at MIT, is a leader in novel drug delivery. On Tuesday, July 20, at the CIMIT Summer Education Series on Emerging Technologies and Applications for Therapeutic Delivery of Drugs and Molecules, we'll hear about his exciting work. Here, Dr. Langer shares with scientists and investigators his advice for inventors.

CIMIT Summer Education Series 2010
Emerging Technologies and Applications for Therapeutic Delivery of Drugs and Molecules

Tuesdays in July: July 6, 13, 20, 27, 2010
4:00-6:00PM

Where:
Location: Boston University Photonics Center
8 Saint Mary's St., Boston
Colloquium Room, Room 906

Learn more about the Series.

 

CIMIT Prize for Primary Healthcare 2010 Winners

The CIMIT Prize for Primary Healthcare is a national competition open to graduate and undergraduate engineering students. One goal of the CIMIT Prize is to challenge engineers, early in their careers, to consider healthcare as a career option. The competition seeks ideas for technologic innovations with great potential to support and catalyze improved delivery of healthcare at the frontlines of medicine.

CIMIT solicited pre-proposals in the fall of 2009 for this competition. Ten finalists were chosen in February and awarded $10,000 to develop a final proposal. CIMIT is pleased to announce the 2010 Prize winners.

Top prize and $150,000 has been awarded to the project, "Rapid Multiplexed Detection of Pathogens with DNA Nanobarcodes". Mark R. Hartman, a Cornell University PhD candidate in Biological and Environmental Engineering will lead the team chosen to receive the $150,000 top honor.  The novel technology offers the promise of a one-step quick point-of-care test for an array of pathogens possibly responsible for pharyngitis.  This diagnostic tool would allow timely and accurate triage of sore throats.

Second place and $100,000 is awarded to another Cornell-based, student-led team for their project that uses continuous ultrasound therapy for more efficient help in managing chronic pain.  Beyond the initial use of pain-management drugs, patients with chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis and sciatica are most often referred for periodic short therapy treatments with ultrasound.  The $100,000 award will support clinical evaluation of “Wearable Low-Intensity Ultrasound Therapy".  Led by George K. Lewis, Jr., a doctoral candidate in Biomedical Engineering, the team's hypothesis is that this wearable technology, which would deliver low-power ultrasound to promote pain relief and even healing, could be dispensed as a disposable device at the front lines of primary care, where diagnosis warrants.

And, recognized with the $50,000 third prize is "Cardiocam:  Technology for Non-Contact Multi-Parameter Physiologic Measurements".  Led by Ming-Zher Poh, a MIT-HST doctoral candidate in the Media Lab, this project has pilot data showing that they can capture some physiologic data purely by image analysis over the internet from a web-cam looking at a patient's face.  Already, the team has captured heart-rate with great accuracy, during ordinary video-conferencing remote interactions.   Respiratory rate and blood oxygenation are their next two goals.  This approach correlates well with the evolving paradigm of offering more primary care through outreach and by delivering care at the right time, in the right place and if possible, without requiring office visits. 

Read the full announcement posted on cimit.org.

Also, join our CIMIT Prize email list to receive notice of future Request for Applications (next RFA will be in late Fall of 2010).

CIMIT 2010 Summer Education Series: Emerging Technologies and Applications for Therapeutic Delivery of Drugs and Molecules

For four Tuesdays in July, the CIMIT Forum Summer Education Series offers attendees the opportunity to build an understanding of a new or important clinical or technical area. Novel Drug Delivery and Drug/Device Combination Therapy will play an increasingly important role in future therapeutics, enhancing both safety and efficacy. Controlled, localized drug delivery holds the promise to remove some of the key challenges of current therapeutics: toxicity (often distant from the site of intended action), patient compliance, and targeting (the inability to achieve sustained concentrations of the active agent at the site of the disease).

The goal of the 2010 CIMIT Summer Education Series is to link current and evolving technologies with unmet clinical needs through a series of lectures by expert scientist and clinician leaders who are developing new technologies and translating them into clinical solutions. The course will highlight technologies ranging from targeted polymer-drug conjugates and nano-scale carriers to intracellular delivery of siRNA and clinical applications including infectious disease, inflammation/immunity, cancer, cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Check out the podcast discussing this year's Summer Education Series.

When:
Tuesdays in July: July 6, 13, 20, 27, 2010
4:00-6:00PM

Where:
Location: Boston University Photonics Center
8 Saint Mary's St., Boston
Colloquium Room, Room 906

Learn more about the Series.

Simple Tools Save Lives

Life saving machinery is no longer exclusive to wealthy nations. Many are developing a variety of simple tools with life-altering impacts. Fortunately, simple tools, manufactured from locally available resources, have the potential to save the lives of babies. Boston doctors and engineers are taking a special interest in finding simple solutions for poor countries like Ethiopia, Indonesia and other countries with limited resources.

Globally, over 3 million newborns die each year and 98% of these deaths occur in resource limited settings. Ethiopia is one of the poorest nations in the world; for every eight babies that are born, one of them will die before reaching their fifth birthday. Birth asphyxia is a leading cause of death in these babies.

Over 1 million of these deaths worldwide result from birth asphyxia, the failure to breathe at birth. Simple resuscitation methods performed by trained community healthcare providers could save 70-80% of these deaths.

Who could have imagined that a simple $8 tube and mask device could have such an impact on healthcare in poor countries like Indonesia? This resuscitation device is simple, yet low-cost. And, in countries like Ethiopia this type of device could be a life saver for asphyxiated newborns.  

In this recent interview with Boston’s channel 5 news, Dr. Kristian Olson describes the benefits of inexpensive medical devices and the “rewarding” experience of seeing midwives so “empowered” by having the right tools and training.

Now, with simple tools and novel approaches, we have the opportunity to improve the effectiveness of healthcare providers by implementing sustainable technologies and enabling training. We need more simple tools and life-saving training that will enhance and protect lives. That is why we are so encouraged by the recent announcement by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to provide $1.5 billion for maternal and child health in resource limited settings.

To learn more, visit our Facebook Cause.

Podcast: Good Medicine is Good Business

Simplicity is... Zen. And it doesn't get any more simple than this: Good medicines makes for good business. In our most recent Podcast Lynn talks with Zen Chu, our resident VC, about the current economic state, healthcare reform, and the challenges of investment and business development. 

CIMITblog is a publication of the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT).

Podcast: The Science of Sleep

Lynn spoke with Robert Thomas, MD, MMSC on 'The Science of Sleep.' Robert explains how modernization has produced a cultural disrespect for sleep, and how sleep may help prevent obesity, cardiovascular disease and neurological disorders.

Perhaps sleep, just like taking a statin, can be as much a preventive measure as it is a necessity when we show symptoms of disease. Podcast in 4min30sec.

CIMITblog is a publication of the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT)

Podcast: A Catalyst for Global Health

We spoke with Dr. Trish Coffey of Path about how to develop innovative and useful devices for the developing world. Specifically, medical devices that can become sustainable parts of a communities culture. Trish explains the process behind community collaboration, choosing the right devices, and making a better female condom, or as they call it: 'the woman's condom.'

CIMITblog is a publication of the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT)

Podcast: Lasers Treat Traumatic Brain Injury

Podcast: Supervillains have been utilizing sharks with laser beams strapped to their heads for decades and now, finally, that technology has jumped species into humans. One laboratory here in Boston is utilizing infrared and near-infrared lasers to provide therapeutic relief to people suffering from Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). 

TBI now seems common in sports and on the battlefield, but it is an injury that is still not well understood.

Michael Hamblin explains the struggles of big pharma and big device to produce therapeutic solutions and how lasers might play a role in actually treating and reducing TBI's.

Our Podcast, in 3 minutes. 

CIMITblog is a publication of the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT)

Podcast: The Future of Surgery

Dr. Bob Nguyen tells us about the Future of Surgery (Podcast in 3min)

Robotic surgery is one of the most exciting and promising areas in the field of minimally invasive surgery. Due to recent technological innovations, surgeons are now able to perform complex reconstructive surgeries through small incisions. Patients undergoing robotic procedures are having less pain, faster recovery and shorter hospitalization. Bob Nguyen will review the evolution of robotic surgery and highlight some novel research in the field of robotic surgery.

Dr. Nguyen will be speaking at the weekly CIMIT Forum: 23 February 2009 from 4pm - 6pm @ Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. This even is free, open to the public, and no registration is required. For more information please visit the CIMIT.org Forum

CIMITblog is a publication of the Center for Integration of Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT)

Low-cost Ventilator: Life Changing/Life Saving Inventions @MIT

Development of a Low-Cost Mechanical Ventilator


Clinician: Jussi Saukkonen, MD, Director of the Pulmonary Clinics, West Roxbury Veterans Hospital; holds academic appointment at Boston University Medical Center; Associate Program Leader, Inhalation Technology, CIMIT

MIT Student Team: Abdul Al Husseini, Heonju Lee, Justin Negrete, Stephen Powelson and Amelia Servi

This team will discuss the design and prototyping of a low-cost portable mechanical ventilator for use in emergency transport and resource-poor environments. Breaths are delivered using automated bag-valve mask (BVM) compression. Tidal volume and number of breaths per minute are set via three user-friendly input knobs and controlled by an internal microchip. The prototype also features assist control capability and an alarm to indicate over-pressurization of the system

CIMITblog is a publication of the Center for Medicine and Innovative Technology (CIMIT)