Houston Methodist Research Institute

While islet cell transplants allow some diabetics to forgo daily insulin injections, those people must take immunosuppressive drugs to protect those cells. A new implant, however, could administer the drugs for them, with fewer side effects.

Scientists at the Houston Methodist Research Institute studying brain impacts have turned to the communities of bacteria in the gut, where they've found that changes following a concussion could be used to reveal the state of recovery.

What exactly does sleep do to the brain, and how could its benefits be boosted? To investigate, the US Army has awarded researchers a grant to develop a portable skullcap that can monitor and adjust the flow of fluid through the brain during sleep.

A new study has affirmed men seem much more vulnerable to COVID-19 than women. The study found men, independent of age, are more likely to contract the virus, suffer from severe complications, and die from the disease compared to women.

If a material is going to be used for implants or prostheses, it had better be tough. The carbon fiber produced by Lamborghini may be up to the task, so samples will soon be headed for the ISS – to be tested in the harsh conditions of outer space.

​Over the past several years, we've heard about a number of implantable devices that regularly dispense medication within the body, doing away with the need for pills or injections. A new one takes things further, as its dosage level can be changed after it's been implanted.

Scientists understand that too much of a protein called mucin causes the lungs’ airways to close, triggering an asthma attack. Until now, the mechanism behind it was unknown. Researchers from Houston Methodist Research Institute believe the answer lies in how two molecules communicate.

Ordinarily, people who are receiving new joints are placed on intravenous antibiotics before and after the operation. There might be a better method of reducing the chances of infection, however. An orthopedic surgeon has created antibiotic beads that are implanted with the joint.

New research now suggests a vaccine for breast cancer might not be all that far away, with the discovery that loading cancer antigens into silicon microparticles serves to greatly boost the body's immune response.

Researchers at the Imperial College London and the Houston Methodist Research Institute have developed biodegradable, silicon "nanoneedles" that can deliver genetic material to stimulate the growth of blood vessels. They could perhaps even be used to reprogram living cells as needed.

tPA is a drug commonly used to bust open blood clots, but it does have its limitations. Researchers have now found that using a type of magnetic nanoparticle to deliver the drug offers a much more direct route, promising to significantly aid in the prevention of heart attacks and strokes.