New Atlas

Medical Audio available

Placental stem cells found to regenerate heart cells after heart attack

Michael Irving May 21, 2019

After a heart attack this vital organ remains damaged, which can eventually lead to heart failure and death. Now, researchers have managed to use placental stem cells to regenerate heart cells in mice, which could lead to groundbreaking new treatments for heart attack victims.

Placental stem cells have been found to regenerate damaged heart cells after a heart attack

Medical Audio available

Autonomous robotic device helps heal live pigs' hearts

Ben Coxworth April 26, 2019

For some time now, we've seen surgical devices that can be remotely guided within the body. And while they do make surgery more precise, they still have to be continuously operated by a surgeon. Recently, however, a robotic catheter successfully navigated beating pig hearts on its own.

In a procedure known as a paravalvular aortic leak closure, the catheter is used to help ...

Science Audio available

Scientists create world's first patient-specific vascularized 3D-printed heart

Ben Coxworth April 15, 2019

Although pieces of heart tissue have previously been bioprinted, scientists have now succeeded in creating the world's first 3D-printed vascularized heart to be made from a patient's own biological materials. It's an accomplishment that could pave the way for custom-made replacement organs.

The bioprinted mini human heart in its supporting medium, which can later be removed

Medical Audio available

Harvard scientists uncover how poor sleep leads to cardiovascular disease

Michael Irving March 19, 2019

The main risk factors for heart disease are lifestyle choices like a bad diet, smoking, lack of exercise – and poor sleep. That last point has gone relatively unstudied, but new research out of Harvard has found the chemical chain reaction that links disrupted sleep and cardiovascular disease.

Harvard researchers have uncovered the chemical chain reaction that links a lack of sleep to cardiovascular ...

Wearables Audio available

Stanford study suggests Apple Watch can safely identify irregular heartbeats

Nick Lavars March 17, 2019

A massive new study carried out by Stanford scientists together with Apple hints at a future where the Apple Watch could be used to detect irregular heartbears, with the device able to detect such events in a meaningful amount of users.

Time is absolutely of the essence when it comes to heart failure, so imagine a world ...

Medical Audio available

Harvard's 3D-printed heart valves open the door to a perfect fit

Nick Lavars December 10, 2018

Scientists at Harvard University have broken new ground in applying 3D printing technology to the problem of damaged hearts, providing a potential new tool to keep blocked arteries open and the blood pumping freely.

Scientists have used 3D printed models of individual heart valves and calcium buildup to help carve ...

Medical Audio available

Successful transplantation of pig hearts into baboons bring human trials a step closer

Rich Haridy December 5, 2018

A new study has reported the first successful long-term survival of baboons transplanted with genetically modified pig hearts. The research is a leap forward in the quest to achieve cross-species organ transplantation, and gives hope to the many humans on waiting lists for donor organs.

One of the surgeons working on the new research suggests we could be as little as ...

Biology

"Cell-by-cell map" suggests heart stem cells don't exist

Michael Irving December 5, 2018

Whether or not cardiac stem cells exist has been up for debate, but now European scientists claim to have created a cell-by-cell map of a mouse heart before and after a heart attack – and found no evidence of stem cells at all.

The heart wall of a mouse after a heart attack. Scar tissue is visible in red, ...

Medical

Little pacemaker may do away with big surgeries on babies

Ben Coxworth November 9, 2018

Typically, if an infant is receiving a pacemaker, open-chest surgery is required. Should a new prototype miniature pacemaker reach commercialization, however, all that will be required is a single small incision – that means shorter surgeries, less pain and faster recoveries.

Members of the Children's National team run through the procedure used to implant the pacemaker

Medical

Adult heart attack risk can be predicted in childhood with new cheap genetic test

Rich Haridy October 9, 2018

Using data from nearly half a million people, researchers have developed a DNA test called a Genomic Risk Score (GRS), which can assess a person's genetic risk factor for developing heart disease. The test will allow doctors to combine a GRS with other factors to better target at risk individuals.

A cheap genetic test has proved successful in early tests in identifying people at risk of ...