In a breakthrough that could redefine the future of wearable technology, scientists at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation have developed an electronic skin that can heal itself within just 10 seconds of being damaged. This cutting-edge material, which maintains both flexibility and electrical performance after repeated wear and tear, overcomes one of the biggest challenges in wearable electronics — and could soon power next-generation health monitoring devices. The team’s findings appear in a new study titled: “Rapid Self-Healing Electronic Skin for Real-Time Biosignal Monitoring.” This innovative work was recently featured in WIRED Japan, highlighting its potential impact on the future of health technology and personalized care.

New research led by Irish scientists has uncovered how lipid-rich fluid in the abdomen, known as ascites, plays a central role in weakening the body’s immune response in advanced ovarian cancer. The findings offer new insights into immune suppression in ovarian cancer and open promising avenues for future immunotherapy approaches.

Over 70% of patients with ovarian cancer are diagnosed at an advanced stage, often presenting with large volumes of ascites. This ascites fluid not only supports the spread of cancer throughout the abdominal cavity but also significantly impairs the body’s immune defences. Understanding how ascites affects the immune system is important for developing better treatments that use the immune system to fight cancer. 

In this recent study, researchers from Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin explored how ascites disrupts immune cell function, with a particular focus on natural killer (NK) cells and T cells, which are key players in the body’s ability to eliminate tumours.