From Cleanroom to Desktop: Emerging Micro-Nanofabrication Technology for Biomedical Applications

This review is motivated by the growing demand for low-cost, easy-to-use, compact-size yet powerful micro-nanofabrication technology to address emerging challenges of fundamental biology and translational medicine in regular laboratory settings. Recent advancements in the field benefit considerably from rapidly expanding material selections, ranging from inorganics to organics and from nanoparticles to self-assembled molecules. Meanwhile a great number of novel methodologies, employing off-the-shelf consumer electronics, intriguing interfacial phenomena, bottom-up self-assembly principles, etc., have been implemented to transit micro-nanofabrication from a cleanroom environment to a desktop setup. Furthermore, the latest application of micro-nanofabrication to emerging biomedical research will be presented in detail, which includes point-of-care diagnostics, on-chip cell culture as well as bio-manipulation. While significant progresses have been made in the rapidly growing field, both apparent and unrevealed roadblocks will need to be addressed in the future. We conclude this review by offering our perspectives on the current technical challenges and future research opportunities

Renal association clinical practice guideline in post-operative care in the kidney transplant recipient

These guidelines cover the care of patients from the period following kidney transplantation until the transplant is no longer working or the patient dies. During the early phase prevention of acute rejection and infection are the priority. After around 3-6 months, the priorities change to preservation of transplant function and avoiding the long-term complications of immunosuppressive medication (the medication used to suppress the immune system to prevent rejection). The topics discussed include organization of outpatient follow up, immunosuppressive medication, treatment of acute and chronic rejection, and prevention of complications. The potential complications discussed include heart disease, infection, cancer, bone disease and blood disorders. There is also a section on contraception and reproductive issues.Immediately after the introduction there is a statement of all the recommendations. These recommendations are written in a language that we think should be understandable by many patients, relatives, carers and other interested people. Consequently we have not reworded or restated them in this lay summary. They are graded 1 or 2 depending on the strength of the recommendation by the authors, and AD depending on the quality of the evidence that the recommendation is based on