Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have developed an antibacterial hydrogel that can kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The material is conceived as a wound dressing, and is composed of antimicrobial peptides which are naturally produced by the immune system. The gel binds the peptides together and protects them, yet allows (Read more...)
Tag: Materials
Light-Responsive Hydrogel to Fill Cerebral Aneurysms
Researchers at Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH) in Korea have developed a new technique to treat cerebral aneurysms. Described in journal Advanced Materials, the treatment involves using a catheter to deliver an alignate hydrogel that is crosslinked in place within the aneurysm using light. The hydrogel is not degradable and (Read more...)
New Bioprinting Technique to Make Artificial Cartilage Implants
Researchers at the University of Alberta have developed a method to 3D print cartilage-like materials consisting of a collagen hydrogel containing human chondrocytes. The printed structures mimic human nasal cartilage in terms of its mechanical, molecular and histological characteristics. The researchers hope the technology could lead to personaliz (Read more...)
Phonon Probe to Image Tissues Ultrasonically at Nanoscale
Visual signs of disease can often be spotted within affected tissues, and advances in histopathology have provided clinicians with powerful diagnostic tools to spot those signs. Microscopes are the cornerstone of this trade, and although they have proven to be extremely useful, they do suffer from some limitations. They are effectively 2D imaging d (Read more...)
Sugar Coated Brain Implants
Researchers at McGill University in Canada have developed a method to create and deliver brain implants that are a similar in consistency to the brain itself, which is a soft gelatinous tissue. The delicate silicone implants are created using sugar molds and delivered using a sugar needle, and their delicate consistency helps to ensure that [&helli (Read more...)
Implantable Hydrogel Helps Neurons Recover After Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) often lead to cognitive disabilities and permanent neural tissue damage, for which effective therapies do not exist. The serious cognitive impairments that patients experience and the burden on caretakers can be enormous, necessitating a constant search for treatments that may help. Researchers at University of Georgi (Read more...)
3D Printed Shields Protect Guts During Radiotherapy
Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and MIT have developed 3D printed shields to protect the gastrointestinal tract from the side effects of radiotherapy. Using CT scans, the devices can be custom printed to suit each patient’s anatomy. The materials they’re made of contain high atomic number elements that help to shield t (Read more...)
New Software Helps Design DNA Nanorobots
Researchers at Ohio State University have developed new software that allows them to rapidly design and simulate DNA nanorobots. Previously, it was challenging to engineer such tiny devices, but now researchers can map out their design in minutes. DNA-based devices have significant promise as medical technologies with potential applications in drug (Read more...)
Heart Patch Helps Grow New Vessels Post Myocardial Infarct
Researchers at the Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH) in South Korea have developed a hydrogel patch system that allows for sophisticated sequential release of growth factors that stimulate angiogenesis. The sequential cascade of growth factors mimics the natural process in the body and the researchers hope that the technology (Read more...)
Tendon-Inspired Sutures Protect Fragile Tissues
Researchers at McGill University in Canada have developed bioinspired sutures that mimic the structure of human tendons. The gel-covered sutures are slippery and tough, reducing the damage caused by conventional sutures when used on soft tissues. Interestingly, the gel surface of the sutures may allow for advanced applications such as drug delivery (Read more...)
3D Printed Microfluidic Bioreactor for Brain Organoid Culture
Researchers at MIT and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras have developed a 3D-printed microfluidic bioreactor that can be used to culture and study brain organoids. The tiny self-organizing nodules of brain tissue are very useful in studying neurological disease and the effects of drugs. However, the bioreactors used to grow brain organoids (Read more...)
Gold Sensor Lives Under Skin for Months Measuring Drugs and Biomarkers
Researchers at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz in Germany have developed an implantable biosensor that can measure concentrations of various biomarkers and drugs in the body. Unlike many implantable devices, the sensor can reside in place under the skin for many months without being rejected by the body or losing its functionality. The syst (Read more...)
Lab-Generated Heart Valves Grow Inside Body
Researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed a tissue-engineered heart valve replacement that can grow within a patient. The breakthrough could allow children with congenital heart defects to avoid repeated surgeries to replace heart valves that they have outgrown. To create the valves, the researchers cultured donor cells in a fibrin (Read more...)
Electrodiagnosis of Ocular Diseases Using Sensor-Enabled Contacts
Electroretinography is a common technique for diagnosing and following up on eye conditions such as glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and retinitis pigmentosa. To perform an electroretinography exam, a device is placed against the eye that projects light onto it and measures the resulting electrical signals that are generated by the retina. Commercia (Read more...)
Polymer Technologies for Tissue Repair: Interview with Christophe Bancel, TISSIUM CEO
TISSIUM, a Paris-based medtech firm, has been named a French Tech 120 company for the 2021 program. TISSIUM, previously called Gecko Biomedical, is developing a suite of polymer technologies and associated delivery devices for tissue repair applications. French Tech 120 is a French government driven program designed to support a total of 120 late-s (Read more...)
Silver-Hydrogel Composite for Bioelectronic Applications
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have developed a silver-hydrogel composite that can conduct electricity, which looks promising for use in a variety of bioelectronics applications. These include skin mounted electrodes for neuromuscular stimulation that may be helpful in treating muscular disorders or other motor issues. Soft materials are (Read more...)
Rapid 3D Printing of Materials with Livings Cells for Organ Replacement
Researchers at University at Buffalo in New York have developed a new technique that allows them to rapidly 3D print hydrogel materials containing viable cells. The researchers hope that their method will pave the way for 3D organ printing in the future. Current limitations include the slow pace of 3D printing, leading to poor viability […]
Skin-Like Sensor for Fine Control of Prosthetic Arms
Researchers at the City University of Hong Kong have developed a soft sensor for sensitive measurement of shear forces applied to its surface. When attached to robotic grippers, the tactile sensing allows for fine control of grasped objects, enabling the robot to perform impressive feats, such as threading a needle and gripping an egg without [&hel (Read more...)
Engineered Cartilage Cells Produce Anti-Inflammatory Drugs
Osteoarthritis affects millions of people worldwide, and occurs when the cartilage that protects the ends of bones starts to degrade and wear down. With the aim of ultimately developing treatments for osteoarthritis, researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have genetically engineered cartilage cells to release an (Read more...)
Face Mask Sensor to Detect COVID-19
Our breath holds a multitude of biomarkers, including potentially those indicating the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. Those infected with the virus are prone to exhale proteases, enzymes that speed up the breakdown of proteins, related to the new virus. This has led researchers at University of California, San Diego to (Read more...)