Researchers at the University of Macau have created soft magnetic robots modeled after the golden wheel spider. These bio-inspired machines roll and climb inside the gastrointestinal tract, guided externally by magnetic fields, to reach areas standard endoscopes struggle with. In early tests, they successfully delivered drugs to targeted sites in animal GI models—without damaging tissue. If proven safe in live studies, these tiny climbers could one day transform how GI cancers and other conditions are diagnosed and treated.
Author: Abhay Panchal
In a new ASGE blog, Paul Akerman, MD, FASGE, highlights how telehealth, remote patient monitoring (RPM), and AI are redefining practice models. Telehealth has evolved into a permanent “front door” for GI care, removing barriers for rural and busy patients while maintaining continuity. RPM promises proactive management of IBD, liver disease, and other chronic conditions by enabling earlier intervention. Meanwhile, AI is already reducing diagnostic variability in polyp detection, capsule endoscopy, and UC scoring—augmenting, not replacing, physician judgment.
Healthmine and Exact Sciences have announced a new partnership to boost colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates. The collaboration allows health plans to reward members who complete at-home Cologuard® tests, leveraging Healthmine’s behavioral science–driven engagement platform. Early results show screening completion improvements of up to 25% and broader care gap closure. With CMS and NCQA emphasizing preventive care, this initiative highlights how incentives and at-home diagnostics could accelerate early CRC detection and reduce costly interventions.
Medscape reports that oral GLP-1 drugs may reshape the obesity treatment landscape, but their true impact remains uncertain. With Novo Nordisk’s oral Wegovy under FDA review and Eli Lilly’s orforglipron showing promising Phase 3 results, experts see new possibilities for patient access, convenience, and cost competition. Yet injectables remain dominant, offering greater efficacy and weekly dosing that many patients prefer. The question lingers: will pills open doors for millions untreated today, or will they complement rather than replace injections?
PAVmed has announced a letter of intent with Duke University to license a new endoscopic imaging technology that combines angle-resolved low coherence interferometry (a/LCI) with optical coherence tomography (OCT). Designed to detect and treat esophageal precancer (dysplasia) in real time, the technology could reduce reliance on traditional biopsies. Early studies led by Dr. Nicholas Shaheen and Dr. Adam Wax have shown high sensitivity and promising accuracy, with results from a pilot clinical trial submitted for publication.
The FDA has approved the Idylla CDx MSI test, a fully automated companion diagnostic for colorectal cancer that delivers results in under three hours. By detecting seven key biomarkers, the cartridge-based system identifies MSI-H status, guiding timely use of nivolumab alone or with ipilimumab. For clinicians, this could mean faster treatment decisions and less reliance on central labs. For health system leaders, it raises a bigger question: will same-day MSI testing reshape precision oncology workflows and accelerate access to immunotherapy in CRC?
The new AI-backed tool provides meal suggestions, ingredient substitutions, and meal planning guidance to help patients avoid their identified trigger foods while maintaining dietary variety. The system was developed in collaboration with dietitians from the University of Michigan. “Unlike broad elimination diets, inFoods IBS has the ability to identify select and specific IBS trigger foods, which makes compliance more achievable,” says Zack Irani, CEO of Biomerica, in a release. “The new AI-backed Trigger Food Navigator takes this one step further by guiding patients through everyday food choices and offering easy substitutions.”
London-based biotech startup BoobyBiome has raised €2.8M to transform infant gut health through the breast milk microbiome. Backed by top investors, the female-founded company is developing a patented storage device that preserves the natural microbiome in expressed milk and a live microbiome drop designed to support formula-fed, c-section, or preterm babies. With the world’s largest breast milk microbiome database behind them, the team is tackling rising childhood diseases linked to underdeveloped microbiomes. Could this be the breakthrough that redefines infant nutrition globally?
Locum tenens is often dismissed as a stopgap in medicine—but for some physicians, it’s a path back to purpose. In this reflection, a pediatrician shares how choosing locums unlocked financial freedom, community ties, and a renewed sense of why he became a doctor. From paying off $315K in debt to finding stability in supposed instability, the story challenges long-held assumptions. Could the “wanderer’s route” actually be the future antidote to burnout in medicine?
Early-onset gastrointestinal cancers are rising at alarming rates in adults under 50, yet most remain outside screening protocols—leaving vague symptoms overlooked and diagnoses delayed. Experts warn that lifestyle risks like obesity, diet, and inactivity combine with barriers such as insurance and access to fuel this trend. Emerging tools—from liquid biopsies to microRNA assays—hint at earlier detection, but they’re not ready for routine use. The unsettling question: how many lives are being lost simply because we’re looking too late?