Hydrogels
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Starting with fibers taken from pig tissue, researchers developed dissolving sutures that can be loaded with molecular sensors or medication. The hope is that they could speed healing and/or alert doctors when something is wrong at a surgical site.
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In new hope for aggressive brain cancers, injecting a drug-laden hydrogel into the brain after tumors were surgically removed was found to launch a combined chemo- and immunotherapy attack, preventing cancer from returning in 100% of treated mice.
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MIT scientists have developed a new wearable patch that can deliver drugs through the skin more efficiently and painlessly. The device uses pulses of ultrasound to pry open the skin, which could improve topical medications or even tattoos.
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3D biopriting is gaining popularity but, to work effectively, the “inks” used must be firmed up using UV light or chemical processes. Researchers have developed a new bioink that hardens at body temperature, making it safer for use in artificial organs.
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If left untreated, chronic wounds such as diabetic skin ulcers can become infected, ultimately leading to amputations or even death. A new "smart" bandage is designed to help keep that from happening, by both watching and treating such injuries.
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Overactive bladder syndrome can interfere with a person’s daily activities and affect their mental health. A new hydrogel-based sensor can continuously monitor overactive bladders and potentially improve the treatment of the condition.
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In order to reach their full potential, soft robotic devices can't just consist of rigid electronic components encased in squishy rubber. A new material could help in that regard, as it's soft, self-healing and electrically conductive.
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Unlike the tissue in other parts of the body, such as the skin, the neuronal tissue in the brain doesn't regenerate after being damaged. It may one day be able to do so, however, with a little help from a new type of hydrogel.
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If there's one thing that the past few years have made us of aware of, it's the danger of respiratory viruses. An inhalable powder may one day help temporarily protect against them, by working with the natural layer of mucus in users' lungs.
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Although we've seen a number of systems that use sunlight to purify tainted water, their output is often quite limited. A new loofah-inspired hydrogel, however, uses sunlight to treat much more water in one go … enough to meet a person's daily needs.
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After someone has suffered a heart attack, their body replaces the damaged heart muscle tissue with non-beating scar tissue, compromising the heart's function. A new injectable biomaterial, however, may help the heart heal better.
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It's always good if the use of antibiotics can be avoided, to keep harmful bacteria from developing a resistance to them. A new wound-treatment spray could help, as it kills bacteria using peptides that occur naturally in our bodies.
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