March 21 Media Roundup

Catch up on all of last week’s news from our social media feeds in life sciences, tech, pharma and more. Be sure to follow along with us all week on Twitter and LinkedIn as well!

mHealth and Tech

• Can the Apple Watch heart-rate sensor detect atrial fibrillation, a condition that increases likelihood of heart failure or strokes? Developers are on the case to see if it’s possible.
• The just-released “Dementia-Friendly Home” app helps caregivers see and understand the visual and spatial challenges dementia patients may face in their homes.  
• SXSW attendees are spotting a shift away from the release of apps at the conference, and towards physical products pushing innovation in their fields. Cognitive enhancing supplements are one of the big hits this year.
• North Carolina researchers have developed a patch alternative to insulin injections. The device “secretes insulin to control blood sugar levels on demand with no risk of inducing hypoglycemia.”
• Smart patches are catching on in healthcare. Lightweight, flexible patches are becoming popular with healthcare providers interested in monitoring patients’ vital signs.
• The federal government is getting serious about using tech to improve health options. The latest efforts include adding mental health providers to a tech-focused pilot program.
• If you didn’t make it to the first week of SXSW, you can still catch President Obama’s chat with the tech community.
• Made by 2Morrow, smoking cessation app SmartQuit is working with GlaxoSmithKlineto help people quit smoking. After completing 2Morrow’s smoking cessation program, smokers are given GSK’s Nicoderm CQ Patch.
• New skincare wearables are getting ready to hit the consumer market. The devices will detect harmful UV exposure and tackle cosmetic skincare problems.

Big Data

• Dataconomy outlines three ways data will improve the quality of patient care and outcomes, and lead to a more effective health system.

Pharma and Life Sciences

• An experimental vaccine to treat mosquito-borne dengue had a 100% success rate using a new technique for clinical trials. Researchers hope it may lead to additional vaccines for other viruses in the future.
• Scientific American writes about the challenges and drawbacks of precision medicine.
• Industry academics are increasingly joining biotech companies or commercializing their work while holding university positions, allowing them to put their work into action.
• A promising new cancer blood test developed by the Cancer Research UK may become a less invasive way to monitor patients’ tumors and learn more about drug resistance.
• Immunologist researchers are taking a fresh look at gut bacteria in the fight against cancer and medicines that stimulate the body’s natural ability to fight tumors.
• Cambridge Epigenetics was backed with a $21 million round of Series B funding from Google and other investors. A spinoff from the University of Cambridge in England, the company creates epigenetic sequencing technologies.
• Clinical trials are taking a page from the travel industry’s book. A former Kayak executive has launched a website that matches clinical trials with potential patients.