NIBIB bioengineer Kaitlyn Sadtler has flourished as a leader of many impactful, interdisciplinary studies. For her role in shaping the future of medical research, TIME magazine has named Kaitlyn Sadtler to the TIME100 Next 2024 List.

NIBIB-funded researchers are working to bring in vivo gene editing to the fore. Through rational engineering of lipid nanoparticles, this collaborative team developed a way to effectively target specific organs in the body to precisely deliver therapeutic cargo, including gene-editing molecules. Their research demonstrated that a one-time treatment with their nanoparticles resulted in durable gene editing in mouse lungs for nearly two years. Further, their technique showed promise in correcting a mutation present in a currently untreatable form of cystic fibrosis in several models of the disease.

Due to its high accuracy, lab-based PCR testing is the gold standard for infectious disease diagnostics. Yet PCR's availability is limited, especially in low-resource settings. New research suggests a new kind of test could be more streamlined without sacrificing performance.

Researchers have established an RNA-based method that drives cells in the body to produce therapeutic proteins and secrete them into the bloodstream. The approach could extend the lifespan of drugs in the body, reducing the burden on patients.

To date, nine medical device developers participating in the RADx® Tech Independent Test Assessment Program have received emergency use authorization for at-home and point-of care test products that simultaneously detect COVID-19 and flu A/B.