Hydrogels

Scientists at Brown University have developed a new material that can release drugs only when pathogenic bacteria are around. When used as a bandage, the hydrogel could deliver medication on-demand when infection begins to take hold.

Human trials have shown that hydrogel injections are a promising, effective treatment for chronic lower back pain caused by degenerative disc disease (DDD). The treatment is far less invasive than other surgeries, and has been given FDA approval.

Tendon injuries are painful and don’t always heal properly. Researchers at the Terasaki Institute have now shown that silk scaffolds loaded with stem cells can help tendons regenerate more effectively.

For some time now, it's been known that the application of electricity can help heal wounds. The experimental new ePatch bandage takes that approach, plus it boosts the healing process by killing bacteria.

Stanford University scientists have taken aim at a key problem holding back an exciting form of cancer immunotherapy, and demonstrated how a novel gel can help overcome it by acting as an injectable holding pen for killer immune cells.

After surgery to remove tumors, some cancer cells can be left behind where they can grow back or spread to a new part of the body. Researchers have now developed a hydrogel that can be applied post-surgery to prevent or slow tumor regrowth.

Although kidney stones can be treated with medication, larger ones are often broken up with an endoscopic laser. A new hydrogel is now claimed to be capable of removing even the smallest of the resulting fragments, instead of just leaving them.

It’s a cruel irony that huge amounts of water are floating around in the air, inaccessible. Researchers have now developed a salty hydrogel that can pull plenty of fresh drinking water out of air in relatively low humidity.

In remote desert locations, at least two things are likely to be lacking: an electrical grid, and a source of water for agriculture. An experimental new system addresses both problems, by combining photovoltaic panels with an absorbent hydrogel.

Complex bone fractures can be hard to treat, sometimes requiring the injured bone to be replaced with bone harvested from elsewhere in the body. Thanks to a new material, though, bone-building micro-robots may someday provide an alternative.

A new slug-inspired biomaterial improves tendon healing, with one sticky side and a low-friction outer surface that keeps it gliding against other tissues. Better yet, they can be loaded with slow-release drugs to reduce scarring and inflammation.

An experimental new material could help rehabilitate the injured and allow the nonspeaking to "speak," among other potential uses. It's also highly elastic, electrically conductive and self-healing – and it's known as CareGum.