Health

A group of immunologists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) have reportedly developed a “super-small” inhalable vaccine that could provide better protection against viral infections than conventional injectable vaccines. A single dose of the aerosol-propelled drug delivers microscopic 2.8 micron-thick particles that produced a sustained immune response in several lab subjects, including mice, hamsters…

Chinese roboticists from Beijing’s prestigious Beihang University have created a flexible robotic appendage capable of mimicking the movements of an octopus’s arm. The research team believes the breakthrough design marks a significant step in soft robotics and human-robot interaction. The device, which has been named an electronics-integrated soft robotic octopus arm (E-SOAM) has the agility…

Chinese agronomists are using genetic engineering to create a corn cultivar with significantly higher iron content. Those close to the project are hopeful the iron-rich strain could offer hope to people suffering from anaemia, a potentially life-threatening condition characterised by a lack of healthy red blood cells. Iron is a mineral that plays an important…

Chinese scientists have created a biodegradable wireless charger they claim can be safely implanted into the human body and used to power bioelectronic devices such as drug delivery systems and sensory devices. Although bioelectronic devices like pacemakers and cochlear implants have been used in medicine for several decades, they require external energy sources that ultimately…

A Shanghai-based pharmaceutical company has developed a novel medication that could offer hope to those suffering from a rare form of throat cancer. The innovative antibody drug is the first Chinese-developed cancer treatment approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and could be made available for clinical use as soon as next…

Depression affects millions of men and women and is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders globally. The often stigmatised and sinister affliction is the leading catalyst of suicide in teenagers and young adults. Individuals suffering from the disease or symptoms associated with it, have a life expectancy of up to a decade shorter…

A team of Chinese geneticists claims to have created a bio-artificial liver using stem cell technology that could help millions of people battling cirrhosis and other life-threatening liver diseases. Chinese authorities have approved trials for the device that helps the compromised organ function until it regenerates or until a suitable donor liver is sourced. Every…

Chinese researchers say they have created a gene-editing method that could return sight to people afflicted with inherited retinal diseases. Those close to the project say the breakthrough could assist with research into other rare genetic disorders. An estimated two million people suffer from some form of retinal disease, for which there are no known…

A Shanghai-based team of medical researchers claims to have developed a targeted drug delivery “nanoplatform” that fights cancer by locating malignant tumours and deploying medicine to attack the diseased area. The scientists say the novel treatment inhibits the spread of cancer while simultaneously assisting with the body’s immune response. While the treatment could see use…

Food scientists from the Shandong Shunfeng Biotechnology Company have successfully created gene-edited soybeans with higher levels of oleic acid. Oleic acid is a mono-unsaturated omega-9 fat with numerous health benefits, including helping lower cholesterol and preventing cardiovascular disease. The breakthrough is part of Beijing’s ongoing battle to improve food security and feed its immense population.…

A woman in China’s remote far west has become the first person in the country’s history to have her gallbladder removed via robot-assisted remote surgery. In February 2023, the lengthy procedure was carried out by a surgeon more than 4 500 kilometres away by way of a four-arm laparoscopic robot. Advanced medicine is central to…

A Chinese research team has created a radio-wave electrocardiogram (ECG) scanner capable of detecting the electrical activity of the human heart from a distance. The milestone achievement makes monitoring vital signs remotely a reality. The ECG has been used by medical professionals for a century to measure the voltage generated by the heart during each…

In a world-first, China has approved the production and use of an inhalable Covid-19 vaccine. Created by Tianjin-based CanSino Biologics, the breathable mist has received the green light for use as a primary and booster shot from several countries and the World Health Organisation (WHO). The globe has battled the spread of the virus for…

Scientists have developed what social media users have dubbed the ‘magnetic turd’ and they hope the medical field will one day employ to retrieve foreign objects from inside the body. The Chinese researchers responsible for the slimy creation say the brownish, slug-shaped substance, immediately compared to the 1997 sci-fi film Flubber, can reportedly make ‘C’…

With the Beijing Winter Olympics officially underway, more than 3 000 of the planet’s finest athletes are once again wowing supporters with their incredible abilities on ice and snow. However, life for competitors inside the “closed-loop” Olympic village may seem otherworldly. Because of the Republic of China’s zero-tolerance approach to the Covid-19 pandemic, human-to-human contact…

Chinese president, Xi Jinping, pledged to donate a further one billion Covid-19 vaccines to Africa. Beijing also said it would invest no less than $15 billion in the continent over the next 36 months. Xi’s announcement, which was broadcast via video link, was made at the opening of the Forum for China-Africa Cooperation in late…

As the globe continues to get to grips with the pandemic, a new Chinese antibody therapy for Covid-19 is showing promise. The experimental treatment has been greenlit for 14 patients in a Beijing hospital. Early results of the breakthrough method indicated a significant reduction in the viral load of patients, encouraging the scientific community. A…

Chinese researchers are using radiation treatment to combat malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases. Home to more than 1.3 billion people, China recently eradicated the deadly disease and has turned its attention to assisting other malaria-affected countries, particularly those in Africa. Developed by several prominent researchers and scientists affiliated with the Nuclear Technology Research and Development…

A Chinese-led study has found a way to reverse the loss of eyesight in the elderly population, without the need for multiple injections and other intrusive methods. Created with assistance from a prominent Australian immunologist, the study may give hope to the 450 million people worldwide affected by vision loss due to age and chronic…

The Chinese-developed coronavirus vaccine, Sinovac, has been approved for use in South Africa and the first order has been placed. The vaccine is the first Chinese vaccine to receive approval from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA). South Africa is currently in the throes of its third wave, with the total national death…

The leading public health authority, the World Health Organisation (WHO), has officially approved the Chinese-developed Sinovac Biotech Covid vaccine. The vaccine, which has seen use in more than 30 countries, received the WHO’s emergency use status last Tuesday. This means it can now be considered by COVAX, the global body tasked with ensuring fair and…

China has lent its voice to the growing call for the temporary waiving of intellectual property (IP) rights for all Covid-19 vaccines. A groundswell of mostly developing nations have implored vaccine makers and major global players to relinquish IP rights for the life-saving vaccines and therapeutics. Calls to waive IP rights began in October 2020,…

With the race to produce vaccines one of the biggest challenges of our time, China may soon have its very own domestically produced messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine. The revolutionary vaccine technology has only been applied to the Pfizer-BioNtech and the Moderna vaccines so far and is hailed for its ability to generate a stronger…