Remote-Controlled Chip Treats Staph with Heat

Nov-28-14 A silk-based, implantable chip able to treat staph infections directly and dissolve when done could provide a much-needed new option for treating these tenacious bacteria.

The new chip, developed by teams from Tufts University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, consists of a power-receiving, magnesium heating element wrapped in a silk protein layer—which both protects the electronics and controls the rate at which the device will dissolve. Once the chip has been implanted in the affected tissue, the heating element can be controlled remotely to deliver heat that will kill the bacteria.

When tested on mice, the chip was very effective at treating the infection and completely dissolved within two weeks.

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[MEDGADGET.COM]
[NOW.TUFTS.EDU]

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