How can additive manufacturing and metamaterials improve healthcare for aging populations? In a review published in the International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, researchers examine how 3D printing technologies—particularly laser powder bed fusion and vat photopolymerization—are used to create personalized implants and tissue models using metals, polymers, and even living cells. Their work highlights the role of bioinspired lattice structures and mechanical metamaterials in addressing age-related biomedical challenges and advancing the future of regenerative medicine.

A team led by Rutgers University-New Brunswick engineers has developed a portable device capable of detecting rare genetic mutations from a single drop of blood.

The instrument, described in a study published in Communications Engineering of the Nature Publishing Group, was shown in lab experiments to quickly and accurately test for a genetic condition called hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis, which can cause heart problems.

Late-life mood disorders (LLMDs), such as depression and bipolar disorder, appearing after 40 years of age, may signal early neurodegenerative diseases. Using advanced PET scans and autopsy data, researchers from Japan revealed that many patients with LLMDs exhibit abnormal tau and amyloid protein accumulation—key markers of dementia—years before cognitive symptoms arise. Their findings highlight tau-PET imaging as a promising tool for detecting underlying brain pathologies, paving the way to early dementia diagnosis.

The small intestine is not only crucial for digestion but also for immune regulation and microbial balance. In a review, Chinese researchers summarize how specialized epithelial cells—Paneth and tuft cells—and associated immune cells maintain intestinal homeostasis. The review also explores how dysfunction in these cells contributes to chronic diseases such as IBD, obesity, and diabetes. The findings may guide future therapies targeting intestinal cell function to treat both gastrointestinal and metabolic disorders.