New Atlas

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Cell reprogramming converts open wounds into healthy skin

Nick Lavars September 5, 2018

Tapping into the machinery of a cell and rewiring it to take on another identity is an exciting capability that scientists are just beginning to explore. Now researchers at the Salk Institute report another groundbreaking advance, converting open wounds into healthy skin.

Salk Institute scientists converted one type of cell (seen in red) into basal keratinocytes (green), a ...

Medical

Healing lamp lights the way for improved treatment of chronic ulcers

Ben Coxworth July 26, 2018

Chronic skin ulcers such as those associated with diabetes are notoriously difficult to treat. As a result, we've seen experimental approaches such as spray-on skin, ultrasound band-aids, and silver-laced dressings. Now, scientists are getting very good results using a high-tech lamp.

Plans call for the lamp to be tested on diabetic ulcers within 12 months

Medical

Smart bandage could monitor and medicate chronic wounds

Ben Coxworth July 6, 2018

Chronic skin wounds may be notoriously difficult to treat, but at the same time they shouldn't be OVER-treated, subjecting patients to more antibiotics than is necessary. That's why scientists have developed a "smart" bandage that only dispenses medication as needed.

The prototype smart bandage, with its microprocessor visible at left

Medical

Drug-free bandage heals diabetic wounds faster

Ben Coxworth June 11, 2018

Because diabetics often have both nerve damage and poor circulation, they will often not notice when they receive skin wounds, which proceed to heal very slowly. Those wounds can thus become chronic. A new regenerative bandage, however, could help keep this from happening.

Stained epidermis cells cultured on A5G81

Medical

DNA-spiked nanoparticles could help minimize scarring

Ben Coxworth June 4, 2018

Not only are large scars often unsightly, but the stiff scar tissue can also limit a person's range of motion, causing discomfort. And although there are procedures that minimize scarring, it's not always apparent if such measures need to be taken. New nanoparticles could help doctors decide.

Dr. David Yeo (right) uses a microscope to detect NanoFlares which were applied to the skin ...

Medical

Injectable bandages promise to stop bleeding and speed wound healing

Rich Haridy April 2, 2018

A team from Texas A&M University has created a novel injectable bandage that blends a commonly used food thickening agent with nanoparticles. The result is an injectable hydrogel than can rapidly stop bleeding and potentially promote wound healing.

Researchers have developed an injectable hydrogel than can rapidly stop bleeding and potentially promote wound healing

Medical

Unwanted fish scales may help heal wounds

Ben Coxworth March 12, 2018

Chances are, you can't think of many uses for fish scales. Neither can the fisheries industry, which is why it disposes of great quantities of the things. According to scientists from Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, however, such scales may be able to help heal wounds in humans.

Some of the fish scales used in the study

Medical

Proposed injectable drug homes in on bone fractures and speeds up healing

Rich Haridy February 20, 2018

A team of researchers from Purdue University is developing an injectable drug designed to home in on a bone fracture and accelerate the healing process. A commercial startup called Novosteo has been founded to speed the research through its preclinical phases and into human trials.

$A new injectable drug is claimed to significantly speed up the healing of fractured bones$

Biology

How skin cells learn to heal faster from inflammation

Rich Haridy October 22, 2017

New research has found that stem cells residing in the skin can learn from earlier inflammatory episodes and heal faster when subsequently injured. This insight could have significant implications into how we understand a range of inflammatory disorders.

The stem cells (green) move into, and help heal, a wound faster when it has previously ...

Medical

Squirtable surgical glue seals wounds in 60 seconds

Nick Lavars October 4, 2017

Advanced surgical glues that seal wounds faster could mean big things when it comes to medical care. A new material is showing particular promise in this regard, with the ability to be squirted directly into a wound, seal it in 60 seconds and dissolve thereafter.

Once squirted into the wound, the MeTro glue is said to behave much like the silicone ...