The field of regenerative medicine as it is showing promising advancements to regenerate and or repair damaged organs- essential in extending lifespan and health span. A new study out of McGill University shows a new promising advancement in regenerative medicine. The study combines elements of chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering to “develop a biomaterial tough enough to repair the heart, muscles, and vocal cords.” The mechanism utilizes a hydrogel that, once injected, forms a “stable, porous structure allowing live cells to grow or pass through to repair the injured organs.” This is particularly exciting for people who have or will have heart damage as the healing process can be incredibly different due to the strain that tissues face from consistent and frequent heartbeats. The next steps are to translate the exciting findings into the clinic.
Study cited: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.202102627