Top Medical Breakthroughs in 2009
The Biggest Medical Breakthroughs in 2009
2009 is finally coming to a close, and many people could not be happier to see what the year 2010 has in store for them. But before we walk away from this year, why not take a look back to see some of the biggest medical breakthroughs in 2009. There are plenty of treatments that have been introduced, as well as others that have been modified in order to make the medical world a safer and better place. Here are just a few of the top breakthroughs that we've had this year.
Spray on Skin
How about new skin that we can just spray on over burns or other wounds? This treatment has been developed to save burn patients from dangerous and painful skin grafts. With just a skin biopsy, and what's called a "ReCell" kit, patients can spray their own skin cells right onto their bodies.
A Vaccine for HIV
While they don't work on all strains of HIV, two new antibodies have been discovered that hamper the growth of the virus in humans. Only a few people produce these antibodies naturally, and the medical community is working on synthesizing these for general use.
Skin Tests for Alzheimer's
Imagine, knowing whether you or a loved one has Alzheimer's, just with the simple prick of a finger! The new test for the degenerative disease is about 98% accurate, and could save some families valuable time with their loved ones.
No More Stem Cell Research Ban
Stem cell research is not illegal, but providing federal funds for it was, until 2009. The new funding allowances do still have limits, however. While creating new lines of stem cells from human embryos cannot be funded by the government, medical researchers can now study existing stem cells.
Mice Created Entirely From Stem Cells
Mice in two individual labs in China were bred using non embryonic stem cells. This is so fantastic, because it indicates that regular stem cells from areas like skin can be reverted to the embryonic stage, and be fully functional in the treatment of diseases.
Brown Fat
Brown fat is basically the 'baby fat' that people burn off as they age. Brown fat can actually break down sugar, and it uses up a lot more energy than the white fat that makes up most of our body fat content. It's also more active in the cold. Medical research in 2009 has indicated that adults may have a lot more brown fat than the medical field previously estimated.
With some of these breakthroughs, it's exciting to see where we're going in the fields of medicine and science. We can't wait to see what 2010 has in store for us! Will we see a definitive cure for AIDS, or better ways to combat cancer? Will childless couples be able to grow their own babies from skin cells? A lot can happen in a single year, and it's thrilling to watch new treatments and sciences develop.
For more great articles on health related topics please visit the Health section on GKLife.
