Marvels of Technology - Breathing Space Blog

What a world, a scalpel is now being developed at Vanderbilt University that will actually help doctors to determine if a cell is cancerous or not before cutting into it. This seems impossible, but as it turns out, the way cells reflect light from a laser attached to the scalpel indicates whether they are cancerous or not. This spectacular breakthrough enables doctors to avoid cutting into health tissue, while not leaving malignant tissue behind.

Doctors in Germany are now growing human bone and cartilage by extracting tiny bits of cartilage from a patient’s rib, soaking the parts in a special liquid and then spreading them out over a biodegradable form. The cells begin to grow and assume the shape of the form they have been spread over. The procedure is still in its early stages but has been used successfully in repairing a torn ear lobe and shattered finger joint.