Advanced imaging, nanotech tools in NIH institute’s long-term plan
This article was originally published in The Gray Sheet
Executive Summary
Disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment will require major investments in technology development, the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute says. A new strategic plan calls for public/private collaboration and will help guide NHLBI research priorities for the next 5-10 years. Goals include pinpointing genetic variants and biomarkers linked to specific diseases, developing in vivo molecular imaging methods and probes to study the biology of disease processes, and developing DNA sequencing technology that detects even rare gene variants. The institute aims to help develop new tools in areas ranging from genomics, imaging and nanotechnology to tissue engineering. Nanotechnology, for one, could be used to diagnose and treat vulnerable plaque, to make devices that monitor for the onset of thrombotic or hemorrhagic events, and to create in vivo sensors to monitor patients for sleep apnea. NHLBI also will explore noninvasive imaging techniques for early risk stratification and diagnosis of cardiovascular, lung and blood disorders