At The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), a cutting-edge robotic system is revolutionizing the approach physicians and researchers take to treating cardiovascular disease.
Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in younger adults. With no other recourse, a cardiac transplant remains the sole lifesaving option for individuals afflicted with this hereditary condition.
Now, an analysis workforce, led by Dr. Jason Mayne, a renowned researcher at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), has collaborated with several esteemed doctors to advance the field of pediatric medicine. Researchers at the University of Toronto’s Robotics Institute have created a groundbreaking robotic technology allowing scientists to simultaneously test multiple potential therapeutics for the first time.
“This capability allows us to deliver the most effective medication to the individual who needs it most at the precise moment,” asserts Dr. Maynes, Chief of the Division of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Associate Chief of Research for Perioperative Services, and Senior Scientist in the Molecular Medicine program.
Recent technological advancements have enabled the proliferation of high-throughput screening, facilitating the simultaneous evaluation of multiple potential therapeutics across a range of health conditions, including oncology. In stark contrast to cancerous cell dynamics, researchers studying cardiovascular disease encounter a unique challenge: capturing the complex, three-dimensional movements of cardiac cells in their natural state. The challenge lies in developing conventional drug-screening technologies that can swiftly and accurately deliver molecules into beating cardiomyocyte tissue without causing harm, rendering it difficult.
Confronted with this complex problem, the analysis workforce crafted an innovative solution – a diminutive robotic arm equipped with a versatile z-shaped micropipette and advanced 3D imaging technology that enables insertion of fluorescent molecules into drug-treated, beating cardiomyocytes at unprecedented speed and precision, thereby facilitating rigorous research on the efficacy of novel drug candidates.
The study’s outcomes are unveiled in , highlighting the significant advancements made by the team and underscoring the groundbreaking potential of their discovery to transform treatment options for cardiovascular disease patients.
“‘Through the application of this innovative approach, we were able to identify five promising therapeutic options for treating Acquired Cystic Macula.’ notes lead researcher Dr.” WenKun Dou, a postdoctoral fellow at the Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the University of Toronto (U of T). “When interdisciplinary teams collaborate, novel breakthroughs can emerge.”
Researchers at the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) in Spain have collaborated on a drug candidate that has been shown to effectively reduce irregular heartbeats in a preclinical model developed by the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).
The findings from this study have significant implications for individuals living with asbestos-related cardiovascular disease (ACM), as they may expedite the development of innovative treatments, ultimately eliminating the need for invasive cardiac surgery. As a result of implementing a personalized approach to high-throughput screening, the analytical team envisions that the far-reaching effects will transcend ACM and resonate within the broader context of SickKids’ Precision Child Health vision, a mission to deliver tailored care to every patient.
“With the capability to quickly model specific patient scenarios and test treatments at scale, therapy can be precisely tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual patient,” says Maynes.
The examination was supported by funding from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Ontario Research Fund – Research Excellence program, Montgomery County Intermediate Unit (MCIU), and the SickKids Foundation.
