"Biomaterials" May Speed Regeneration.

• Position: Brief Article

In the future, doctors may be able to heal damaged tissue faster using a unique blend of biological and inorganic materials. These "biomaterials" are the next frontier in the field of tissue engineering, which involves growing tissues in the lab for research and grafting as well as stimulating the body into regenerating its own tissue more quickly, thus speeding the healing process.

Christine Schmidt, an assistant professor in The University of Texas at Austin's Department of Chemical Engineering, has developed a new biomaterial consisting of a plastic dotted with a sugar group. "The bottom line is to have a material that we can implant into the body that encourages nerves to repair themselves better, faster, and over larger areas," she explains. "We implant the biomaterial as a conduit that basically patches the damaged nerve ends together--in a sense, like a tubular Band-Aid. The biomaterial is formed into a tube that would then be surgically implanted around the damaged nerve ends" The material has not yet been used on humans. However, tissue cells from rats have been found to grow twice as quickly on this biomaterial in the laboratory than on plastics previously used.

The goal of Schmidt's research is to repair peripheral nerve defects, such as injuries to nerves in the arms, legs, and face that could result from trauma such as gunshot wounds or car accidents. Among many other applications, the research could be of benefit in reconstructive surgery. While it does not directly apply to spinal cord injuries, it could provide insights to scientists working in that area.

The plastic and sugar mix gets its extra punch by...