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Vitestro secures $22 million for autonomous device that draws blood

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Vitestro, an autonomous blood drawing company, has raised $22 million (€20 million) funding to accelerate commercialization of its innovative robotic blood drawing device. This brings its total funding raised to $50 million (€46 million) from both equity investments and grant funding.

Co-led by return investor Sonder Capital and new investor NYBC Ventures, with participation from Invest-NL, the European Innovation Council Fund (EIC Fund), and existing private investors, the oversubscribed funding round will support Vitestro’s commercialization in Europe and its organizational expansion into the US market.

Toon Overbeeke, Vitestro CEO and co-founder, says: “We are honored to continue working with Sonder Capital and proud to welcome NYBC Ventures, Invest-NL, and EIC Fund to the Vitestro team. [Read more…] about Vitestro secures $22 million for autonomous device that draws blood

International Space Station creating new biological life forms

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The International Space Station is creating new biological life forms using “cutting-edge 3D biomanufacturing”.

3D printing – also known as additive manufacturing – is a well-known method of making things here on Earth, and on the ISS, but this method uses materials such as plastics and metals.

However, 3D biomanufacturing uses biological materials such as new tissue or blood vessels. (See video below.) [Read more…] about International Space Station creating new biological life forms

MIT develops thread-like robot that can slip through brain’s blood vessels

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Scientists at MIT have developed a thread-like robot that can be steered using magnets and slip through the brain’s blood vessels. 

The university’s website reports that, in the future, this “robotic thread” may be paired with existing endovascular technologies, enabling doctors to remotely guide the robot through a patient’s brain vessels to quickly treat blockages and lesions, such as those that occur in aneurysms and stroke.

Xuanhe Zhao, associate professor of mechanical engineering and of civil and environmental engineering at MIT, says: “Stroke is the number five cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States. [Read more…] about MIT develops thread-like robot that can slip through brain’s blood vessels

UPS Foundation supports Ghana’s vaccine drone delivery network

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The UPS Foundation, which leads the global citizenship programs for UPS, and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, have announced support for the expansion of a medical drone network into Ghana.

Zipline, a California-based automated logistics company, will use drones to make on-demand, emergency deliveries of 148 high priority products including emergency and routine vaccines, blood products and life-saving medications.

The service will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from four distribution centres – each equipped with 30 drones – and deliver to over 2,000 health facilities serving 12 million people across the country.

[Read more…] about UPS Foundation supports Ghana’s vaccine drone delivery network