Technology

The extent to which our everyday life relies on dexterous usage of our hands is something that we usually only realize when things go wrong, e.g., when we break a bone and our hand is fixed in a plaster cast. Tetraplegic patients permanently suffer from these restrictions throughout their lives. Restoring hand movements, especially functional

We all intuitively know that our mental states can affect our physical wellbeing. Especially when it comes to fighting off infections, it is common knowledge that too much stress affects our resilience against germs. And yet, the concrete details of how our brain activity influences the immune system have remained largely unclear. A new, massively

Bladder problems affect millions of people worldwide, significantly decreasing quality of life and often coming with additional medical complications. One of the most common syndromes is called “overactive bladder”, in which, as the name already suggests, patients experience a constant urge to urinate. In a recent story, we already reported how scientists are currently trying

Interstitial cystitis (IC), also called bladder pain syndrome (BPS), is a chronic bladder health issue that strongly affects everyday life of millions of people worldwide. Patients chronically feel pain and pressure in the bladder area and an increasing urge to urinate. The causes for the condition are still unclear and treatment attempts often remain unsatisfactory.

Basic research in animal models form an essential milestone on the pathway towards innovative medical treatments. For good reasons, clinical testing in human subjects can only start when the approach has been sufficiently tested and validated in preclinical experiments. Yet, translating a treatment idea from one species to another comes with challenges. Frequent obstacles range

Functional electrical stimulation of motor nerves or muscles has been used for decades to restore movements in paralyzed patients who suffered a spinal cord injury, for example. The idea is based on the seminal findings by Luigi Galvani in the 18th century. He could induce movements in frog legs when exposing them to electric voltages

A central vision of bioelectronic medicine is to find ways to regulate body states through electric interactions with the nervous system rather than through administration of pharmaceuticals. Diabetes is one of the first major targets for this novel approach: Even the most advanced existing pharmaceutical therapies are still error-prone and complicated, often leaving patients with