Science & Technology, UK (Commonwealth Union) – Researchers at the University of Surrey, in collaboration with Imperial College London, have developed innovative materials that could revolutionize the field of X-ray detection. These advancements may usher in a new era of flexible X-ray detectors, with wide-ranging applications from enhancing cancer treatment to improving airport scanning technology.
Conventional X-ray detectors typically utilize dense and inflexible materials like silicon or germanium. This rigidity can result in inaccuracies during patient scans, leading to inadvertent exposure of healthy tissues to radiotherapy, especially around tumors.
The novel approach involves utilizing organic semiconductors, composed of hydrogen and carbon, to create more flexible detectors. However, previous attempts with organic semiconductors fell short in producing as detailed X-ray images as their traditional counterparts.
The research team overcame this limitation by developing an ink that incorporates small amounts of high atomic number elements into the organic semiconductor. Building upon their earlier work in this field, the newly designed detector mimics the behavior of human tissue under X-rays. This breakthrough could pave the way for safer and more advanced techniques in administering radiotherapy, mammography, and radiography.
Co-author, Professor Martin Heeney, from the Department of Chemistry at Imperial, says “We have been developing heavy analogues of traditional organic semiconductors for some time, and we were intrigued when Dr Imalka Jayawardena at Surrey suggested their application in X-ray detectors. These results are very exciting, especially considering this was the first material investigated, and there is plenty of scope for further improvements.”
Scientists investigating the intricacies of breast cancer development have discovered a significant reliance of tumors on a crucial vitamin for their growth and survival.
Led by the Francis Crick Institute, the research team conducted studies involving mice and analyzed human tumor cells, with a specific focus on the Myc gene—a prominent driver of cancer presence in many human malignancies.
Their investigation revealed a notable association between vitamin B5 and regions exhibiting high Myc expression in both human and mouse tumors. Furthermore, when the supply of vitamin B5 was restricted, tumors exhibited a slower rate of growth. The researchers attribute this effect to the pivotal role that vitamin B5 plays in the metabolism of cells.
Dr. Paolo Inglese from the Institute of Clinical Sciences at Imperial clarified that tumor metabolism represents a “vulnerability” that could potentially be targeted for treatment.
“A series of experiments – using both conventional and novel techniques – has established the availability of vitamins and cofactors as a potential bottleneck in tumour progression, which could, one day, be exploited therapeutically,” Dr. Inglese added.
Researchers from Imperial’s Centre for Psychedelic Research have explored a novel approach to prolong the hallucinogenic effects induced by Dimethyltryptamine (DMT). DMT, a psychedelic compound found in various plants and animals, elicits visual and auditory psychedelic experiences. Previous studies have utilized DMT to investigate human consciousness, and its potential in treating mental health disorders is under consideration.
In this study, scientists administered DMT to 11 healthy volunteers through a new injection method over a 30-minute period. The results indicate that the psychedelic effects of DMT were sustained in the volunteers during this extended timeframe, while anxiety levels remained low. This suggests that the prolonged administration of DMT is safe and well-tolerated.
Lisa Luan, co-author of the study and a PhD researcher at the Centre for Psychedelic Research, commented, “Our study has demonstrated that DMT provides a psychedelic experience that can easily be modified in terms of strength and duration. This flexibility may be beneficial to clinical work, where different individuals may have differing needs.
The 2023 IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society Prize Paper Award has been conferred upon a paper written by scientists from Imperial College.
