Glaucoma is a prevalent and chronic eye disease that requires regular intraocular pressure monitoring to prevent disease progression. In an innovative study, scientists in Japan have developed a PEDOT:PSS/PVA thin-film-based integrated smart contact lens for real-time, effective monitoring of intraocular pressure. Notably, the proposed device leverages parity-time symmetry-based wireless technology for ultra-sensitive detection, facilitating early diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.

Bipolar disorder is a significant global health issue, affecting millions worldwide. To address the urgent need for novel therapeutic approaches, it is important to deepen the understanding of its pathology. A group of researchers from the Juntendo University has demonstrated how alterations and abnormalities in the neurons of the paraventricular thalamic nucleus region of the brain are associated with bipolar disorder, offering a novel therapeutic and diagnostic approach.

Five new projects for the development of innovative health technologies have been funded by the European Research Council (ERC) at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT-Italian Institute of Technology) at its sites in Milan, Genoa and Naples. The announcement made today by the European body includes, among the 136 winners across Europe: Annamaria Petrozza and Mario Caironi in Milan, Alessandra Sciutti and Giuseppe Vicidomini in Genoa, and Velia Siciliano in Naples. The three female researchers and the two male researchers at IIT will receive Proof of Concept (PoC) grants of approximately €150,000 each, which will allow them to explore the commercial potential of their research. The fields of application include cancer, dyslexia and diagnostics.