SUTD: Javier G. Fernandez, Naresh D. Sanandiya, Jyothsna Vasudevan, Rupambika Das
NUS: Chwee TeckLim
Tissue engineering is a medical solution that uses living cells to repair or replace structural tissue, such as blood vessels, bone, cartilage, etc. Polymeric hydrogels, in both solid and liquid forms, are used as a delivery system for living cells, acting as a protective layer to contain the cells for transplantation into patients to replace diseased or damaged cells.
Characterization of CNF thixotropy. (a) Stimulus responsiveness of CNF hydrogel for stress, sonication, pH, and cation factors (white spots in the hydrogel are micro-bubbles formed by cavitation during vortex agitation). (b) Range of storage modulus (G?) obtained with various stimulus factors. (c) Injection of CNF hydrogel in a cylindrical mold. The hydrogel was injected in a low-viscosity state, enabling its delivery, but rapidly recovered its consistency after being deposited, retaining the shape of the mold. (d) Additional examples of shape conformation after injection. The hydrogel conformed to complex structures and narrow spaces before returning to its solid state.
You can find more details at https://www.sutd.edu.sg/Research/Research-News/2019/3/SUTD-researchers-develop-a-hydrogel-for-enhanced-c