A medical breakthrough is the discovery or development of an innovative method to diagnose and treat illness. These developments can include a vaccine, an artificial organ or a treatment for an incurable disease. Modern technologies, such as telemedicine, 3D printing and regenerative medicine, are making such milestones possible.
Medical science continues to churn out groundbreaking innovations that improve patient outcomes and life expectancy. From 3D printed organs to neural implants that allow for the control of prosthetic limbs, these technological advances are transforming the field of healthcare.
Regenerative medicine is a rapidly growing field that seeks to restore or replace damaged tissues and organs. Using techniques like cell therapy, tissue engineering and gene editing, scientists are working to develop treatments for diseases that are currently incurable or difficult to treat.
Scientists at Joslin discover insulin-producing pancreatic cells in mice and demonstrate that these cells secrete the appropriate amount of glucose in response to blood sugar levels. These discoveries led to the first clinical treatment for diabetes. Physicians at the Boston Hospital for Women, now Brigham and Women’s, pioneer positron emission tomography scanning, a noninvasive imaging technique that provides one of the first looks at functional changes within the brain and other organs.
HMS immunology researchers reveal the molecular mechanisms that trigger autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, and they use this knowledge to search for new therapies. For example, they found that cancer cells hijack a signaling pathway to stop the immune system from fighting tumors, and they discovered drugs that can reactivate that pathway.