Two new PET radiotracers have outperformed the only currently Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved radiotracer for detecting tau tangles in the brain, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. In a head-to-head comparison of the three imaging agents, the next-generation radiotracers exhibited higher binding to Alzheimer’s disease brain tissue and a greater selectivity for identifying the tangles. This research, which was published in the January issue of The Journal of Nuclear Medicine, could play a key role in measuring outcomes of clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease treatments.

To promote the use of quantum sensors in industry, Fraunhofer IAF has developed a virtual application laboratory for quantum sensing. This innovative information platform provides comprehensive technical knowledge about quantum magnetometers, applications, and measurement scenarios. It also allows interested parties from industry and research to interactively perform sample measurements and assess the potential of this groundbreaking technology for their needs. Access is available through the website www.quantensensing.de/en.

Researchers at Tel Aviv University have achieved a major breakthrough in drug delivery: they have successfully transported lipid nanoparticles encapsulating messenger RNA (mRNA) to the immune system of the small and large intestines — bypassing the liver upon systemic administration. By simply altering the composition of the nanoparticles, the researchers demonstrated that mRNA-based drugs can be directed straight to target cells, avoiding the liver.