• Popular
    • Medicine
    • Radiology
    • Cardiology
    • Surgery
    • Nanomedicine
    • Military Medicine
    • Rehab
  • Categories
    • Exclusive
    • A-D
      • Anesthesiology
      • Art
      • Cardiac Surgery
      • Cardiology
      • Critical Care
      • Dentistry
      • Dermatology
      • Diagnostics
    • E-I
      • Emergency Medicine
      • ENT
      • Genetics
      • Geriatrics
      • GI
      • Informatics
    • M-N
      • Medicine
      • Military Medicine
      • Nanomedicine
      • Net News
      • Neurology
      • Neurosurgery
      • Nuclear Medicine
    • O-P
      • Ob/Gyn
      • Oncology
      • Ophthalmology
      • Orthopedic Surgery
      • Pathology
      • Pediatrics
      • Plastic Surgery
      • Psychiatry
      • Public Health
    • R-V
      • Radiation Oncology
      • Radiology
      • Rehab
      • Reproductive Medicine
      • Space Medicine
      • Sports Medicine
      • Surgery
      • Thoracic Surgery
      • Urology
      • Vascular Surgery
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • Submit PR
  • About
  • Follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Linkedin
    • Youtube
    • Instagram
    • RSS
  • Submit PR
  • Log in
Medgadget
Medgadget
  • Popular
    • Medicine
      Smartphone Photos to Detect Anemia

      Smartphone Photos to Detect Anemia

      Ultrasound Catheter to Treat Hypertension

      Ultrasound Catheter to Treat Hypertension

      Neuroimmune Modulation for Inflammatory Disease: Interview with Dr. Simhambhatla, President and CEO of SetPoint Medical

      Neuroimmune Modulation for Inflammatory Disease: Interview with Dr. Simhambhatla, President and CEO of SetPoint Medical

      HIV Vaccine Candidate Stops Virus As it Enters Body

      HIV Vaccine Candidate Stops Virus As it Enters Body

    • Radiology
      Ultrasound Catheter to Treat Hypertension

      Ultrasound Catheter to Treat Hypertension

      Antibacterial Smart Sutures Visible in CT Scans

      Antibacterial Smart Sutures Visible in CT Scans

      Terahertz Spectroscopy to Assess Severity of Skin Burns

      Terahertz Spectroscopy to Assess Severity of Skin Burns

      Focused Ultrasound Releases Brain Biomarkers

      Focused Ultrasound Releases Brain Biomarkers

    • Cardiology
      Scientists Grow Electrodes Inside The Body

      Scientists Grow Electrodes Inside The Body

      Patient-Specific Soft Robotic Heart Replicas for Treatment Planning

      Patient-Specific Soft Robotic Heart Replicas for Treatment Planning

      Tiny Patch for Cardiac Ultrasound Imaging

      Tiny Patch for Cardiac Ultrasound Imaging

      Belt Monitors Heart Failure Patients

      Belt Monitors Heart Failure Patients

    • Surgery
      Exclusive Look at HandX Robotic-Assisted Surgical Device from Human Xtensions

      Exclusive Look at HandX Robotic-Assisted Surgical Device from Human Xtensions

      Self-Assembling Peptides as a Bioink

      Self-Assembling Peptides as a Bioink

      3D Bioengineered Skin Grafts Fit Complex Anatomy

      3D Bioengineered Skin Grafts Fit Complex Anatomy

      Antibacterial Smart Sutures Visible in CT Scans

      Antibacterial Smart Sutures Visible in CT Scans

    • Nanomedicine
      Bottlebrush Particle for Synergistic Drug Combinations

      Bottlebrush Particle for Synergistic Drug Combinations

      Extra Hot Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy

      Extra Hot Nanoparticles for Cancer Therapy

      Making Tumors Tastier for the Immune System

      Making Tumors Tastier for the Immune System

      Improved Membrane Coating for Anti-Cancer Nanoparticles

      Improved Membrane Coating for Anti-Cancer Nanoparticles

    • Military Medicine
      Device Measures Hemoglobin More Accurately in Dark Skin

      Device Measures Hemoglobin More Accurately in Dark Skin

      Fingertip Sensor Measures Lithium Levels in Sweat

      Fingertip Sensor Measures Lithium Levels in Sweat

      Fabric Makes Electricity from Movement to Power Wearables

      Fabric Makes Electricity from Movement to Power Wearables

      Wearable Uses Microneedles to Track Metabolism

      Wearable Uses Microneedles to Track Metabolism

    • Rehab
      Smart Walking Stick for Visually Impaired People

      Smart Walking Stick for Visually Impaired People

      Implantable Device Adheres to Muscle, Treats Atrophy

      Implantable Device Adheres to Muscle, Treats Atrophy

      Non-Invasive Spinal Modulation for Cerebral Palsy

      Non-Invasive Spinal Modulation for Cerebral Palsy

      Implanted Magnets for Prosthetic Control

      Implanted Magnets for Prosthetic Control

  • Categories
    • Exclusive
    • A-D
      • Anesthesiology
      • Art
      • Cardiac Surgery
      • Cardiology
      • Critical Care
      • Dentistry
      • Dermatology
      • Diagnostics
    • E-I
      • Emergency Medicine
      • ENT
      • Genetics
      • Geriatrics
      • GI
      • Informatics
    • M-N
      • Medicine
      • Military Medicine
      • Nanomedicine
      • Net News
      • Neurology
      • Neurosurgery
      • Nuclear Medicine
    • O-P
      • Ob/Gyn
      • Oncology
      • Ophthalmology
      • Orthopedic Surgery
      • Pathology
      • Pediatrics
      • Plastic Surgery
      • Psychiatry
      • Public Health
    • R-V
      • Radiation Oncology
      • Radiology
      • Rehab
      • Reproductive Medicine
      • Space Medicine
      • Sports Medicine
      • Surgery
      • Thoracic Surgery
      • Urology
      • Vascular Surgery
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • Submit PR
  • About
  • Log in
  • Submit PR
  • Follow
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Linkedin
    • Youtube
    • Instagram
    • RSS

Automated Feeding Platform to Study Mosquito Disease Transmission

February 14th, 2023 Conn Hastings Medicine, Public Health

A team at Rice University has developed an automated feeding platform for mosquitoes that allows researchers to test different types of repellent and investigate mosquito-borne disease transmission. Traditionally, such mosquito research would require human volunteers or animal subjects for the mosquitos to feed on, but this is obviously inconvenient and a little distasteful. This new system dispenses with the need for human volunteers and associated laborious data collection and analysis. The technology consists of 3D printed synthetic skin with real blood that flows through small vessels. Mosquitos can feed through the skin and are kept in place in a surrounding box, which also contains mounted cameras that record the whole process. Machine learning algorithms then interpret the resulting video footage, providing a variety of data including bite number and duration.

Dengue, yellow fever, and malaria: what do they all have in common? The pesky mosquito. However, while this flying culprit is well known, studying the process of disease transmission in detail and developing new ways to deter mosquitos from biting in the first place can be difficult. At present, many researchers are forced to use animal subjects or human volunteers who are willing to sit for long periods while mosquitoes feast on their blood. This is clearly not ideal, and requires long periods of observation and data analysis.   

To address these limitations, these researchers have created a synthetic and automated alternative. This consists of 3D printed hydrogel constructs that act as synthetic skin. These structures contain artificial blood vessels through which the researchers can circulate real human blood. A transparent box around the hydrogel patches keeps live mosquitos in place above, allowing them to land and feed. Cameras mounted in the box record the activity, and then the researchers use machine learning algorithms to analyze the footage.

“It provides a consistent and controlled method of observation,” said Omid Veiseh, a researcher involved in the study. “The hope is researchers will be able to use that to identify ways to prevent the spread of disease in the future.”

So far, the researchers have used the device to test various mosquito repellents, but the technology could also let researchers to investigate mosquito-mediated disease transmission in more detail. “We are using the system to examine virus transmission during blood feeding,” said Dawn Wesson, another researcher involved in the study. “We are interested both in how viruses get taken up by uninfected mosquitoes and how viruses get deposited, along with saliva, by infected mosquitoes. If we had a better understanding of the fine mechanics and proteins and other molecules that are involved, we might be able to develop some means of interfering in those processes.”

See a video about the device below:

Study in journal Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology: Development of an automated biomaterial platform to study mosquito feeding behavior

Via: Rice University

  • Tags
  • riceuniversity

Conn Hastings

Conn Hastings received a PhD from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland for his work in drug delivery, investigating the potential of injectable hydrogels to deliver cells, drugs and nanoparticles in the treatment of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. After achieving his PhD and completing a year of postdoctoral research, Conn pursued a career in academic publishing, before becoming a full-time science writer and editor, combining his experience within the biomedical sciences with his passion for written communication.

Sponsored
Clarius Report Finds 85% of Clinicians Believe Ultrasound Leads to Better Patient Outcomes

Clarius Report Finds 85% of Clinicians Believe Ultrasound Leads to Better Patient Outcomes

New AASLD Practice Guidance Calls for the Use of Noninvasive Liver Evaluations for Earlier Detection of NAFLD and NASH

New AASLD Practice Guidance Calls for the Use of Noninvasive Liver Evaluations for Earlier Detection of NAFLD and NASH

C-mo Medical Solutions extends seed investment round to €4.8 million to transform cough monitoring

C-mo Medical Solutions extends seed investment round to €4.8 million to transform cough monitoring

New Clarius Power Fan HD3 Delivers a First for Handheld Ultrasound: Continuous Scanning

New Clarius Power Fan HD3 Delivers a First for Handheld Ultrasound: Continuous Scanning

Fluidx Unveils New Embolic for Neurovascular Use

Fluidx Unveils New Embolic for Neurovascular Use

interviews & reviews
Alpha TAU Killing Tumors With Highly Targeted Alpha Radiation

Alpha TAU Killing Tumors With Highly Targeted Alpha Radiation

Neuroimmune Modulation for Inflammatory Disease: Interview with Dr. Simhambhatla, President and CEO of SetPoint Medical

Neuroimmune Modulation for Inflammatory Disease: Interview with Dr. Simhambhatla, President and CEO of SetPoint Medical

Exclusive Look at HandX Robotic-Assisted Surgical Device from Human Xtensions

Exclusive Look at HandX Robotic-Assisted Surgical Device from Human Xtensions

Balance Boards to Stay Active in the Offfice: Interview with Joel Heath, CEO of FluidStance 

Balance Boards to Stay Active in the Offfice: Interview with Joel Heath, CEO of FluidStance 

Exciting Medtech at the Healthcareᐩ Expo Taiwan

Exciting Medtech at the Healthcareᐩ Expo Taiwan

Medgadget Visits Healthcareᐩ Expo Taiwan

Medgadget Visits Healthcareᐩ Expo Taiwan

Diabetes Management Tech for Type II patients: Interview with Jeffrey Brewer, CEO of Bigfoot Biomedical

Diabetes Management Tech for Type II patients: Interview with Jeffrey Brewer, CEO of Bigfoot Biomedical

  • Subscribe
  • Contact us
  • Submit
  • About
  • Back to top
Medgadget

Medical technologies transform the world! Join us and see the progress in real time. At Medgadget, we report the latest technology news, interview leaders in the field, and file dispatches from medical events around the world since 2004.

  • About
  • Editorial policies
  • Contact
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy
  • Submit press release
  • Advertise
© Medgadget, Inc. All rights reserved. | The Medical Revolution Will Be Blogged.
Please support this website by adding us to your whitelist in your ad blocker. Ads are what helps us bring you premium content! Thank you!
Posting....
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Email