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Articles tagged with: ‘hydrogel‘

Bionics»

Novel bio-inks can be used to print various types of tissue

By Maja Bosanac
17 October 2013

fraunhofer-gellatine-tissue-printingA group of researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute have succeeded in developing bio-inks for tissue printing technology. The transparent liquids consist of components from the natural tissue matrix and living cells, such as a well known biological material – gelatin. By controlling the chemical modification of this biomolecule, researchers can imitate the properties of various… »

Bionics»

A new approach for more efficient cartilage repair and regeneration

By Damir Beciri
3 Comments16 October 2013

epfl-cartilage-1Damage to cartilage may no longer have to be irreversible. A team of EPFL scientists has developed a smart hydrogel material that could promote cartilage regeneration. That would be great news for athletes, elderly, and people with conditions which lead to cartilage degeneration and arthritis. The advantage of this method is its ability to release… »

Tech»

Novel advancements in hydrogels

By Maja Bosanac
9 July 2013

hydrogel-double-network-1Hydrogels are gelatinous substances with several biomedical applications, including cartilage repair, implants for minimally invasive surgery and drug delivery. Most hydrogels are weak, brittle, and of low mechanical strength. They also exhibit limited extensibility, recoverability, and poor toughness. On the other hand, double-network hydrogels exhibit high mechanical strength, excellent recoverable properties, and a unique, free-shapeable… »

Bionics»

Artificial platelets reduce clotting time and blood loss

By Maja Bosanac
24 February 2013

artificial-platelets-healing-1Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) have devised a new technology that could help the blood to clot faster, potentially reducing blood loss in wounded people. They developed artificial platelets – an artificial counterpart to components of blood that help with wound clotting or sealing. This biomaterial is made from hydrogel and… »

Bionics»

Nanosensors in hydrogel enable tracking of transplanted cells

By Maja Bosanac
5 February 2013

nanosensorsResearches at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have developed a method for in vivo monitoring of transplanted-cell viability. The researchers used nanoscale pH sensors and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to track liver cells previously transplanted into mice. This new method is likely to be an important tool for improving cell replacement therapies for conditions such as liver… »

Bionics| Tech»

Fighting superbugs with antimicrobial hydrogel

By Damir Beciri
One Comment28 January 2013

polymer-solution-is-ninety-percent-waterResearchers from IBM and the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN), Singapore, revealed an antimicrobial hydrogel that can break through diseased biofilms and deal with drug-resistant bacteria upon contact. The synthetic hydrogel is the biodegradable, biocompatible and non-toxic, and its ability to form spontaneously when heated to body temperature makes it ideal for combat against… »

Bionics| Robotics»

Bio-bots – miniaturized walking biological machines

By Damir Beciri
17 November 2012

bio-bot-groupResearchers from the University of Illinois are making tracks in synthetic biology by designing non-electronic biological machines. They used a 3D printer to combine hydrogel and heart cells to create bio-robots. These functional machines are biocompatible and soft, and they are able to move by themselves. Once perfected, these bio-bots could be altered and specialized… »

Bionics| Tech»

Biocompatible hydrogel could be used as cartilage replacement

By Damir Beciri
One Comment15 September 2012

cartilage-hydrogel-1A team of experts in mechanics, materials science, and tissue engineering at Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) have created an extremely stretchy and tough hydrogel which is a hybrid of two weak gels that combine to create something much stronger. This new gel can stretch up to 21 times of its original… »