Imagine going through your day completely unaware of tiny machines keeping you alive from the inside. With Dr. Kenichi Takahata’s new research, this could become a widespread reality. Dr. Takahata and colleagues have developed a device that acts as a “smart” variety of the cardiac stent. Unlike the traditional tubes, which are implanted to expand clogged coronary arteries, this stainless-steel machine also has micro-sensors, which can monitor conditions inside the arteries. Acting wirelessly, this device can send indications if the stent is failing.
An article in Wednesday’s Globe and Mail discusses this innovative design, along with a wireless drug-delivery device on which Dr. Takahata is working. This implant can be used to distribute a drug at a specific location inside the body. The device could lead to drastic improvements in chemotherapy, while simultaneously lessening the side effects seen in traditional methods. These thrilling advances in biomedical research at UBC indicate where the future of medical technology is headed.
For more information about what these medical inventions could mean for public health, a live chat will be held November 3rd, at 1 pm on the Globe and Mail website.