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Researchers at University College London have developed 3D-printed sensors that can measure the forces needed to form the spinal cord in chicken embryos.
The development could help researchers better understand congenital disabilities such as spina bifida, which affects one in 2,000 newborns in Europe every year, reports the Telegraph.
"These defects cannot be fully explained by molecular and genetic studies alone," says the lead author of the study, published in Nature Materials.
"It opens the door to new prevention and treatment strategies for central nervous system malformations."
The sensors, which are about a tenth of the weight of a human eyelash, attach to the embryonic spinal cord using lasers.
They measure the forces needed to form the spinal cord, which is tiny and delicate, explains Phys.org.
"These forces must be stronger than the opposing hostile forces for normal development," says the researcher.
"By these forces, researchers can explore drugs that increase positive forces or decrease negative ones to help prevent congenital disabilities like spina bifida."
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A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.
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