Articles tagged with Hydrogels
A new stimuli-responsive drug delivery system has been developed to prevent transplant rejection by delivering immunosuppressant drugs locally and when prompted. The system reduces toxicity and improves therapeutic outcomes, offering a paradigm shift in clinical immunosuppressive therapy.
Research by bioengineers at UC San Diego reveals that the stiffness of the extracellular matrix is a key factor in guiding stem cells towards specific cell types. The study found that varying the stiffness of the hydrogel had no effect on the differentiation process, ruling out protein binding as a crucial factor.
Researchers develop a novel fuel cell design that protects sensitive catalysts using a redox hydrogel. This shield prevents deactivation caused by oxygen and extreme electrical potentials, allowing for efficient and long-term energy conversion. The breakthrough has major implications for the development of sustainable energy solutions.
A University of Rochester research team has created a technique that keeps stem cells in place, resulting in faster and better tissue regeneration. The key is encasing the stem cells in polymers that attract water and disappear when their work is done.
A new method of wormlike motion allows gels to swim in water, expanding their potential applications as environmental and biotechnological tools. This breakthrough was achieved by a UC undergraduate student with the help of his advisers, enabling soft materials to explore new areas such as surface waters or cavities inside the human body.
Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital have successfully fabricated blood vessels using 3D bioprinting technology, addressing a critical challenge in tissue engineering. The approach involves printing agarose fibers that become the blood vessel channels, allowing for physical removal of template layers and improved cell viability.
Researchers created a thermogelling hydrogel that turns from liquid to semisolid at body temperature and then degrades as new bone forms, filling the space left by the original gel.
Researchers at Rice University have developed a synthetic collagen, KOD, that mimics the body's natural collagen to promote natural clotting and heal surgical wounds. Lab tests showed KOD hydrogel traps red blood cells to stop bleeding and binds platelets to form clots, improving upon commercial hemostats.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School and University of Sydney develop elastic hydrogel-based cardiac tissue that beats in synchrony with natural heart muscle. The breakthrough could lead to repairing damaged hearts without organ transplants, revolutionizing the treatment for millions worldwide.
Researchers have created a hydrogel actuator that can change shape in response to changes in pH, using mussel protein-inspired chemistry. The device has the potential to be used for drug delivery and could be programmed to adopt various shapes by adjusting the placement of ions, composition, and voltage.
Researchers at UD developed a smart hydrogel that delivers medicine in response to mechanical force, reducing inflammation and pain in osteoarthritis. Preliminary results indicate biocompatibility and potential applications beyond osteoarthritis.
Researchers at Duke University have created a composite material with properties similar to those of native cartilage, which could lead to improved artificial replacement tissues. The new material combines the strength and suppleness of native cartilage, addressing previous challenges in replicating its mechanical properties.
Researchers have developed a hydrogel scaffold that solidifies into a gel at body temperature, providing a platform for functional and aesthetic tissue regeneration. The material is intended as an alternative to prefabricated implantable scaffolds and can be injected to the point of need.
A new study from Cornell University proposes that clay hydrogel could have confined and protected chemical processes that formed proteins, DNA, and eventually living cells. Researchers demonstrated protein synthesis in a clay hydrogel, which enhances protein production and offers a promising possibility for producing large quantities o...
Scientists have created an implantable hydrogel that can deliver a light signal to specific tissues deep within the body, enabling photomedicine to treat brain disorders. The system uses genetically engineered cells that respond to light, and has shown promising results in mice with diabetes.
Scientists at Case Western Reserve University have developed a method to create three-dimensional gradients of signals that guide stem cell behavior. The system can help discern recipes for tissue and organ repair and replacements by controlling the spatial presentation of growth factors, physical triggers, and adhesion ligands.
Researchers at Harvard University developed a programmable DNA glue that directs tiny gel bricks to self-assemble into complex structures. The method could help solve tissue engineering challenges by creating injectable components that self-assemble into biocompatible scaffolds.
IBN's novel technique allows researchers to incorporate different cell types into separate fibers, then assemble them into complex constructs with hierarchical tissue structures. This innovation enables the creation of prevascularized tissue constructs that have successfully integrated with the host circulatory system in a mouse model.
Researchers have developed a technique to pattern and actuate hydrogel materials, enabling the creation of soft robotic devices with potential biomedical applications. The devices can manipulate objects using electrically assisted ionoprinting, opening new possibilities for drug delivery and tissue scaffolding.
The Pitt research team demonstrated that hydrogels can be reconfigured and controlled by light, undergoing self-sustained motion. This biomimetic behavior has significant implications in the medical arena, potentially leading to new devices and technologies.
A team of engineers has developed a three-dimensional hydrogel that more closely mimics the properties of brain tissues, allowing researchers to selectively tune up or down the malignancy of cancer cells. By adding hyaluronic acid, they found that glioma cells exhibited reduced or enhanced malignancy in different materials.
University of Illinois bioengineers find way to permanently modify silicone polymer surface with organic material, resulting in stable adhesion for several months. The method enables practical applications in cell culture platforms, microfluidic devices, and tissue engineering.
A new method for improving blood supply to engineered replacement tissues uses laminin-derived peptides in hydrogels, which stimulates the growth of microvascular networks. This technology was tested in a mouse cornea transplant and showed successful cell growth and blood vessel formation.
Scientists at The University of Akron have developed a simple method to synthesize double-network hydrogels, which exhibit high mechanical properties and are promising replacements for load-bearing soft tissues like cartilage. These hydrogels can also be loaded with drugs and placed into the body, where they biodegrade and release the ...
Researchers developed a new technique for producing low-cost, high-capacity lithium-ion batteries using silicon-based electrodes. The unique nanoscale architecture of the silicon-composite electrode creates an electronically conducting pathway, allowing for exceptional electrochemical stability.
Researchers at NIST create three-dimensional scaffolds made with cells and hydrogels to evaluate the biological effects of nanoparticles. The hydrogel-based scaffolds provide a more realistic environment than current laboratory tests, allowing for longer-term studies and better representation of normal exposure levels.
New materials mimic mussel adhesive proteins to deliver self-setting antibacterial hydrogels, seal fetal membrane defects, and target cancer cells with precision. Researchers collaborate on in-vivo testing of these innovative biomedical applications.
A proof-of-concept clinical trial showed improved tissue growth after implanting a hydrogel scaffolding in 15 patients. New cartilage filled an average of 86% of the defect, and patients reported a greater decrease in knee pain.
Researchers developed a novel hybrid conduit that combines soft and electrically-active materials to guide nerve regeneration and reconnection. The design showed promising results in rats, with significant muscle mass gain compared to other designs.
A new DNA hydrogel created by Cornell researchers exhibits unique properties, flowing like a liquid but returning to its original shape when placed in water. The material has potential applications in drug delivery and tissue rebuilding, with the ability to be formed into desired shapes.
MIT researchers have created a new type of injectable gel that can withstand mechanical stress and remain durable over time. The gel, made with protein hydrogels, forms a reinforcing network when heated to body temperature, making it more suitable for long-term drug release and tissue engineering applications.
Researchers at Rice University aim to inject scaffolds infused with living cells to repair damage inside tissues naturally. They plan to start trials of their dental hydrogel within two years, which could also be used for spinal cord regeneration and eye conditions.
A team of experts at Harvard created a hydrogel that can stretch to 21 times its original length, is self-healing, and exceptionally tough. The gel combines two weak polymers in an 8:1 ratio, forming a complex network that reinforces each other.
Scientists at Vienna University of Technology developed a method called 3D-photografting, which allows them to attach molecules at exact positions. This technique can be used to grow artificial biological tissue with specific inner structures and create tiny three-dimensional 'labs on a chip' for sensor technology.
The researchers successfully packaged siRNA in a hydrogel complex that can be injected into target tissues, allowing for prolonged control over cell behavior. The technology has the potential to guide stem cells to grow into desired cell types, starve tumors by blocking blood vessel growth, and induce cancer cell death.
Scientists have developed a spray-on coating made from chitosan that can delay the ripening of bananas. By slowing down respiration and killing bacteria, this coating can keep bananas fresh for almost two weeks. Researchers are now working on improving the coating to make it commercially viable.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed injectable hydrogels that can deliver therapeutics for up to six months, doubling current maximum release time. These hydrogels contain proteins or other therapeutics and are capable of controlled release rate according to material ratio.
Researchers develop a new technique to predictably generate complex wavy shapes from hydrogels, which may help design more efficient drug-delivery systems. The technique uses an experimental setup that projects images onto a photosensitive hydrogel, causing it to assume the desired shape.
A team of UC San Diego bioengineers created a self-healing hydrogel that can bind in seconds and withstand repeated stretching. The material has numerous potential applications, including targeted drug delivery, industrial sealants, and self-healing plastics.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have developed a hydrogel treatment that promotes new blood vessel formation and tissue regeneration, yielding scar-free skin in mouse tissue tests. The treatment has the potential to greatly improve healing for injured soldiers, home fire victims, and others with third-degree burns.
Researchers at Purdue University have developed a new type of biological and chemical sensor using thin stripes of a gelatinous material called a hydrogel. The sensor is highly sensitive and can measure changes in pH smaller than one-1,000th on the scale, enabling environmental monitoring and glucose monitoring.
Researchers discovered a genetic material involved in regulating HDL cholesterol levels. A microRNA called miR-33a helps keep high-density lipoprotein stable, and inhibiting it may raise HDL levels. Additionally, biopolymer hydrogel injections improved heart function and quality of life in heart failure patients.
A Texas A&M chemical engineer has discovered a way to achieve more effective separation of DNA fragments using a hydrogel substance. The findings provide a rational approach to designing gels that can harness specific effects, leading to enhanced analysis in various fields.
Researchers have developed a functional implantable artificial salivary gland to treat xerostomia in cancer patients. The new treatment uses modified hydrogels to regenerate functional salivary acinar cells, restoring saliva production and improving oral health.
Researchers developed liposome-hydrogel hybrid nanoparticles that combine the strengths of both materials while compensating for their weaknesses. These nanoparticles have controlled release capabilities and can target specific cells, making them potential tools for targeted drug delivery.
Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed bioengineered hydrogels that induce significant vasculature growth in damaged tissue. The hydrogels release VEGF, stimulating blood vessel formation, and degrade in a controlled fashion, allowing for functional vascularization and integration with host circulatory system.
University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate student Jenna Eun's accidental photo 'Polymazing' won second place in the Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge, showcasing a surprising physical phenomenon that emerges in nature. The image, taken under a microscope, reveals how hydrogel absorbs water and causes a material to buckle.
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University developed hydrogels that promote the growth of pre-osteoblast cells, aiding bone development. These gels interact with growth factors like demineralized bone matrix, providing scaffolding for bone cell proliferation and new tissue formation.
Researchers have developed a novel hydrogel system using multidomain peptides as a biomimetic scaffold, enabling the directed differentiation and function of dental stem cells for targeted dentin-pulp complex regeneration. The material provides high control over nanofiber architecture and better chemical functionality.
Biological chemist Jason Shear and his team developed a way to alter the shape and size of microscopic hydrogel structures by changing their environment's chemistry. This allows for precise control over cells, which can be used to study disease, understand quorum sensing, and create micro-devices.
Scientists at NIST have created a synthetic cartilage replacement that can withstand hundreds of pounds of pressure and is pliable like gelatin. The double-network hydrogels' unique structure helps dissipate deformation energy, allowing them to endure large deformations without breaking apart.
Researchers at the University of Delaware have developed a new biomaterial that can be injected into wounds to deliver targeted payloads of cells and antibiotics, enabling repair and regeneration of damaged tissue. The hydrogels also display antimicrobial properties, making them suitable for treating infections.
Researchers at Stanford University have created a novel biomimetic material called Duoptix TM that can be used to develop an artificial cornea. The hydrogel material is transparent, permeable to nutrients, and resistant to surface proteins and inflammation, making it suitable for surgical implantation.
Researchers have developed autonomous liquid microlenses that can adapt their focal length without external control. These smart lenses use hydrogels responding to physical, chemical or biological stimuli to enable new sensing methods in lab-on-a-chip environments and medical diagnostics.
Researchers developed a model system for studying neuro-vascular interactions, enabling the creation of stable vascular networks that can connect with larger blood vessel structures. The approach uses a macroporous hydrogel polymer scaffold and co-seeds it with endothelial cells and nerve progenitor cells.
A recent study published in Ophthalmology found that the risk of vision loss due to corneal infections among users of 30-day soft contact lenses is extremely low. The study, which involved 6,245 patients, reported an overall annual rate of evident corneal infection of 18 per 10,000.
Researchers at the University of Utah are developing a hydrogel that helps grow new tissue for repairing diseased organs. The gelatin-like substance, made from sugar chains, is essential for organ printing, which aims to print living, three-dimensional tissue for transplantation.
A study by the University of Manchester found that wearers who slept in hydrogel lenses were five times more likely to develop keratitis than those sleeping in silicone hydrogel lenses. Silicone hydrogels are now recommended as a safer option for extended wear.
A year-long study found that new generation silicone hydrogel lenses significantly reduce the risk of severe keratitis, a type of eye infection. Those wearing traditional hydrogel lenses were five times more likely to develop severe keratitis when sleeping in their lenses.
A new hydrogel sealant, made from biocompatible dendritic macromolecules and poly(ethylene glycol), seals corneal incisions more effectively than suturing or self-sealing, preventing infection and trauma.