New Tech, Newest Epic Med-Tech Innovations

With advancement of technology, a rise of tele- and virtual reality is increasingly important in the medical world, as well as a breakthrough by Neuralink fully self operating robot, down to Nanotechnology and DNA sequencing.

Next-Gen DNA Sequencing

DNA sequencing refers to the general laboratory technique for determining the exact sequence of nucleotides, or bases, in a DNA molecule. The sequence of the bases (often referred to by the first letters of their chemical names: A, T, C, and G) encodes the biological information that cells use to develop and operate. Establishing the sequence of DNA is key to understanding the function of genes and other parts of the genome. DNA Sequencing. In terms of information, DNA is like printed text. There is a method of storing the data (the printed word), a language to learn, and a process of understanding the meaning of what has been written. DNA sequencing is a process of reading. In the past, few people could read, most were illiterate. (Source: national human genome research institute)

Sequencing DNA means determining the order of the four chemical building blocks - called "bases" - that make up the DNA molecule. In the DNA double helix, the four chemical bases always bond with the same partner to form "base pairs." Adenine (A) always pairs with thymine (T); cytosine (C) always pairs with guanine (G).

Better and more affordable genome sequencing methods tremendously increase studying to identify genomic details and potential risks. This Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a massively parallel sequencing technology that offers ultra-high throughput, scalability, and speed. The technology is used to determine the order of nucleotides in entire genomes or targeted regions of DNA or RNA. NGS has revolutionized the biological sciences, allowing labs to perform a wide variety of applications and study biological systems at a level never before possible.

NGS1-4 is a new technology for DNA and RNA sequencing and variant/mutation detection. This technology combines the advantages of unique sequencing chemistries, different sequencing matrices, and bioinformatics technology. Such a combination allows a massive parallel sequencing of various lengths of DNA or RNA sequences or even whole genome within a relatively short period of time. It is a revolutionary sequencing technology after Sanger sequencing

(Pubmed)

NGS clinical application is not limited to diagnosis. It is also widely used in identifying mutation targets for targeting therapy and in identifying a high-risk population for certain hereditary cancers. Over the past few years, numerous molecular targeting drugs have been developed and there are more to come,

Collaborations between NGS technology providers and pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and research organizations are fostering innovation and the development of novel applications. As the demand for comprehensive genomic analysis continues to rise, the NGS Market is expected to witness sustained growth and further advancements in the coming years.

There are few big known names on the NGS market, Illumina to start with and furthermore Thermo Fischer, F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Agilent Technology, QIAGEN, BGI.

An entry into these companies by Element with an investment of over 270 millions US dollars has created big news headlines. Element is expected to challenge Illumina after being the device called Aviti. The company launched a benchtop sequencer in 2022. Element claims companies that choose its Aviti device over Illumina’s rival Nextseq 2000 sequencer can save almost $1.5 million in three years.

Neuralink Surgical Robot

Source: TechCrunch

How much more precise the world of minimally invasive surgery will get is entirely in the hands of companies like Neuralink. I’ve already stated my opinion on the beauty of this neuro companies which mission extends in accelerating human potential and making the connection between humans and robots more empathetic.

Since its beginning in 2017 Neuralink has developed a fully self operating surgical robot that has already been used during Neuralink PRIME study procedures where an implant was inserted in human's brain to restore the individual's function by allowing him to control a computer by just using his thoughts. After the second procedure was successful just few weeks ago, Neuralink vision predicts thousend of individuals to have the implant in 5 years from now. Another medical problem that the system will solve is being able to restore sight for blind people.

Currently, the focus is the study period for improved surgical and planning for profoundly better results. The brain is the most complex organ in our  body and it requires a perfectly trained robot to do the insertion job in this case of electrodes- tiny treads. While at the beginning a physician assisted the robot to do the fundamental part of the surgery, now the robot is moved to also fully operate and close the procedure up.

“Imagine taking a hair from your head and trying to stick it into Jell-O covered by Saran Wrap and doing this at a precise depth and position and doing this 64 times within a reasonable amount of time,” Christine Obadashian, leader in hardware insertion, explained. It takes about 25 minutes for the robot to insert the device. The device replaces the portion of skull that the surgeon had removed which is revolutionary compared to the methods that were used in Neuromodulation. Elongated in the procedures and future to come, the surgery will take even less time and without human intervention needed.

Together with the implantable device (Link) itself, Neuralink is currently the most futuristically accessible companies in the world of Medicine and Technology. Looking ahead it is an exciting journey that the team promises.

Nano Pills

Drugs in the nanoscale has gained the attention of both biomedicine, science and healthcare industry as they provide a wide range of solutions for scanning, controlled release of drug that can be folded into nanoscale and released over a period of long time, scanning of parameters and react in connection to changes in ones organism. The interests in the nano pills is clearly coming from the high quality of scientific research conducted in the field.

Some of the known approved nano drugs notably include Doxi, Abraxane and others that have successfully been used in the practise with their use of decreasing toxicity and tumour eradication, carrying the drug Paclitaxel and Doxorubicin.

The nano pills developed are also much more likely to pass through blood barriers and reach organs that previously could not be. Researched have been working on optimising the release of the particles.

Telehealth

Increasing remote support health tools will certainly need to more at-home health programs and self check ups where either a station will be provided by a company using robot axis or a direct monitor through your computer, phone or VR.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) defines telehealth as a two-way, real-time interactive communication between a patient and a physician or practitioner at a distant site through telecommunications equipment that includes, at a minimum, audio and visual equipment.

People nowadays prioritise finance, work, oftentimes family care than taking on doctor’s visit but now seeking the support needed is better done  by Telemedicine companies that promise help in this direction. I’ve searched what are today’s top Telemedicine Companies and this is what most of the sources confirm based on the cost and service offered: Sesame, Doximity, GoodRx, Hims & Hers Health, Teladoc Health, MDLive, Talkspace, MeMD, PlushCare.

Most of these companies provide price per visit, monthly or yearly subscriptions also dependant on your insurance coverage in the country you are located and even more interestingly more than 90% of those provide access to mental health services. It can also be much more affordable solution for people without insurance.

The volume of telehealth claims has now stabilized at 38 times higher than it was before the pandemic. The industry has grown so massively that it is expected to overreach $80 Billion in 5 years, contributing to advancing the future of healthcare. Perhaps one of the biggest newsletters in the recent weeks has been the announcement of Amazon to acquire One Medical which provides on-demand virtual medical support. Amazon has launched its digital health network in 2022 with the mission to enhance employees wellbeing, now it is moving way beyond that and with this direct investment in boosting Telehealth and making Amazon a med-brand.

DBS coat technology

Deep brain stimulation with implanted electrodes that is often used to treat Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders.

However, MIT researchers have now developed an alternative approach that uses ultrasound instead of electricity to perform deep brain stimulation, delivered by a fiber about the thickness of a human hair. https://news.mit.edu/2024/ultrasound-offers-new-way-perform-deep-brain-stimulation-0604

Virtual Reality

VR is believed to be the future. Certainly in medicine, we will not strive to create sci fi, but instead improve the quality and speed of care provided. This is also one of the main usages of Virtual reality in healthcare as of today - Remote Care, Communication and Support. The other main ways that bring VR its glory are:

Medical Training - vital for remote trainings. Interactive digital models give students and teachers access to advanced ways of visualising human anatomy that are vastly superior to traditional cadaver and book-based anatomy lessons.

Mental and adjunctive health therapy. One of the most powerful aspects of virtual immersion is its ability to create empathy. Pharmaceutical research & development company Abb Vie created an experience to raise awareness amongst healthcare professionals of the daily struggle of patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease.

Therapy management and recovery medicine. For patients in need of physical rehabilitation, VR has been shown to be an effective tool in treatments. Through programs like motion-enabled games, VR can reproduce precise physical movements and provide additional motivation for exercises.