Biomaterials Repairand A


re we one step closer to a futuristic vision where a simple injection can instantaneously repair damaged tissue or a diseased organ? That prospect is still reserved for the movie screen, but according to Karen Christman, professor of bioengineering at the University of California San Diego, we are close to having therapies that can significantly impact tissue function and improve quality of life.


Christman and her team at UC San Diego have developed a novel form of biomaterial that can be injected into the blood stream to reduce inflammation in tissues and promote cell and tissue repair. She believes it has the potential to improve the quality


Regenerate


An injectable substance that repairs damaged tissue inside the body sounds like something straight out of a fictional universe, but that’s exactly what one team of researchers believe they have discovered. The first indication the team are looking to treat is damage to cardiac tissue caused by heart attack, but they believe the injectable material could be used to treat a number of different areas inside the body in the future. Theresa Devereux speaks to Karen Christman, professor of bioengineering at the University of California San Diego, to find out more.


of life of those who have suffered heart attacks, as well as a host of other conditions, such as traumatic brain injury, pulmonary arterial hypertension and even Covid-19. The biomaterial is called “Infusible Extracellular Matrix” or iECM, and it is made from decellularised extracellular matrix. “Decellularised extracellular matrix, derived from animal or human tissue, is where you strip out the cells leaving the natural scaffolding of a tissue called the extracellular matrix,” explains Christman. “It has long been used as patches for surgical repair in patients and therapies in animal models of disease often in the form of injectable gels, but the difference with iECM is that it can be delivered through the bloodstream.”


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Medical Device Developments / www.nsmedicaldevices.com


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