Technological advancements in various fields have been consistently apparent in today’s society. Communications, travel, production, and other industries make use of technologically advanced equipment and gadgets every day. Wherever we look, we can see the profound effects of technology and how it changes people’s everyday lives. It is indeed astounding to see the products of technology that people fifty or a hundred years ago thought was impossible.
Any technological innovation is a product of a human need that needs to be addressed. Through this constant discovery and conscious effort to answer these human needs, we get to see many of the products that we have today like the modern smart phones, computers and others.
A subtype of technology called biomedical field is one of the areas where experts focus much of their researches. It is a very promising field that includes all the research and innovations that are related to health and wellness. This report focuses on a latest discovery about imaging studies that could potentially change and shape the future of people suffering from diabetes and other illnesses.
What is the technology?
According to a research an article in the online periodical, Science Daily, a group of Swedish researchers have discovered a new way to view the pancreas and its cells through optical projection tomography. Through this new way of imaging the pancreas, the insulin producing cells, the non-functioning ones in people with diabetes, are easily identified. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities when it comes to treating diabetes through targeting its cellular causes. The original research was published on the January 2013 volume of The Journal of Visualized Experiments. Eriksson et al. (2013) stated in this research that the new innovation in technology could allow visualization “to be performed throughout the volume of intact pancreas or other organs, with a resolution down to the level of individual islets of Langerhans.”
Diabetes is a worldwide problem that is seen most evidently in well developed countries. It is a combination of genetic and lifestyle problems that has negative repercussions in the affected person and his family’s way of life. Diabetes research is an important area in health that provides the needed tools and knowledge updates on how to combat diabetes. The discovery of Eriksson and his colleagues of a new technique for sharp visualization of the Islets of Langerhans in the sample pancreas of rats is a huge feat in diabetes research and biomedical engineering.
In fact, the said research is now included in the “newly launched Marie Curie project ‘European Training Network for Excellence in Molecular Imaging in Diabetes,’ which links together five major EU-funded research consortia with different cutting-edge competences in the field”.
What industry or industries can use the technology?
This technological breakthrough is a huge advancement in the field of biomedical imaging and health care. Many new researchers and developers of new imaging tools and techniques can adopt the method from Eriksson and his associates. This also inspires further research and development of imaging techniques not only for the pancreas but for other organs as well. The scope of application for this news update from Science Daily has the potential to provide the needed thrust and inspiration to do further work on this area and build on the success of this biomedical tool. Graves, Weissleder, & Ntziachristos (2004) stated that these imaging innovatuons have a “great potential to impact basic science and drug development”. Holmberg & Ahlgren (2008) also emphasized the importance of researches of this kind and its influence in the development of research especially for health and living organism subjects.
Apart from the apparent applications to health care, this research could inspire other non-health related areas as well. Their technique of imaging through solid objects and dense material could contribute to a change in the way other engineering fields build their work. Health care is always a need and a priority for any culture who values life. Hence, the applications of this research study are of importance to a wide audience.
What are some of the barriers to the adoption of this technology and possible solutions?
Just like any new technology, this new bio imaging technique from Eriksson et al. has its own barriers to face. It is inherent to find some sort of resistance to a new technology that is introduced, no matter how useful it might seem to be. In this research, hurdles include intrinsic factors like the lack of a compatible contrast medium for the imaging technology to reach a wide scope (Umeå universitet, 2013). This barrier could be resolved by supporting further researches until a stable, safe and convenient contrast is discovered.
Another barrier to the wide adoption of this new technology is the possible resistance from manufacturers or producers of other bio imaging technologies. The success of this new non-invasive form of viewing organs in a molecular manner might be the cause of the out phasing of their products or equipment. A potential suggestion is an appeal to put the needs of the public before business interests. If this imaging technology goes on a full scale operation, these same companies could also apply for permits to manufacture this new technological gadget or equipment.
The issue of diabetes as a worldwide health issue can be another barrier to wide adoption of this new technology. The research would be more useful if all possible effort is made to disseminate this information especially to the medical community. Benefits of this new and improved strategy for studying the molecular component of diabetes should extend to the whole world and not just the country where the research had taken place. Sufficient funding and social support must be given if we want to see the positive effects of this technological innovation on a wide and grand scale.
References
Eriksson, A., Svensson, C., Hörnblad, A., Cheddad, A., Kostromina, E., Eriksson, M., et al. (2013). Near Infrared Optical Projection Tomography for Assessments of β-cell Mass Distribution in Diabetes Research. The Journal of Visualized Experiments , 71.
Graves, E., Weissleder, R., & Ntziachristos, V. (2004). Fluorescence molecular imaging of small animal tumor models. Current Molecular Medicine , 419 - 430.
Holmberg, D., & Ahlgren, U. (2008). Imaging the pancreas: from ex vivo to non-invasive technology. Diabetologia , 2148 - 2154.
Umeå universitet. (2013, january 21). New Technology shows diabetes. Science Daily. Retrieved january 25, 2013, from www.sciencedaily.com: http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2013/01/130121083033.htm
