The Seattle Biomedical Research Institute is seeking volunteers who are willing to be bitten by mosquitoes infected with malaria.  Volunteers could be paid up to $4000.

Scientists say no lives are in danger because the volunteers can be cured. The institute is testing which vaccines work fastest.

The head of the program, Dr. Patrick Duffy, said volunteers will spend several nights under medical supervision in a hotel.

Link.

Mandy Sellars suffers from a rare condition called Proteus syndrome, which is thought to only affect about 120 people worldwide. 

Her legs and feet, weighing 70kg, continue to grow while the rest of her body remains average size.  Because there is no known cure for this condition, doctors may need to amputate in the future, however, Sellars wants to raise the awareness of this condition before any such thing is done.

Biomedical researchers take a virtual look at the spread of the avian flu virus through Google Earth. 

With Keyhole Markup Language on Google Earth scientists were able to trace the course of the disease over the past decade.

The Google Earth project animates the spread of avian flu virus. In addition the data contains information on all known strains of the evolving flu virus plus all its host organisms. So far avian flu has not proven highly contagious among humans with fewer than 300 known cases worldwide. However, medical research is watching the virus's spread and evolution.

To view the virus virtually, you will need to download Google Earth and then copy this link into your browser.

[via meshly]

U.S. scientists have created breath test that can detect lung cancer in patients even in the early stages of the disease.

By means of a simple colour test which shows up unique chemical changes in the breath of people with lung cancer, the disease was accurately detected in just under three out of four people with the disease.

By using a sensor just slightly bigger than a coin, which is relatively cheap and easy to use, unique chemical changes in the breath of people with lung cancer could be seen with a series of coloured dots.

After breathing into the device for 12 minutes the hues of a series of 36 dots provide a gas fingerprint for lung cancer.

Because the test can detect the disease at its earlier stages, patients can start receiving treatment when it's most effective.

Giant Microbes are stufffed animals a million times the actual size of tiny microbes.  You can choose from a variety of microbes such as The Common Cold, Clap, Black Death, Ebola, and Athlete's Foot.  Your cuddly new toy will come with a picture and detailed information about the real microbe your fuzzy-wuzzy represents.

[via Neatorama]

Previously:
Sexually Transmitted Disease Coasters?

7-year-old Chen Jiakun of China suffers from a very rare disease called pentalogy of Cantrell, which is "a complex constellation of defects including congenital heart disease and sternum abnormalities."

In front of Chen's chest is a large mass containing his heart and intestines. People can see and feel how his heart is beating under the skin. The mass swells and throbs if he moves quickly. And coughing will cause it to grow to 15 centimeters long--almost three times its usual size.