Can smart biomaterials deliver?
James Mitchell Crow explores the next generation of therapeutic biomaterials, which aim to interact dynamically with the body and help to control diabetes and heal wounds
Researchers looking to develop materials that are agile on their toes, responsive to the changing rhythms of complex biological processes happening around them. Wound repair is a case in point. Today’s clinically approved wound-promoting materials are passive participants at best, such as controlled release materials that release their therapeutic cargo at a pre-programmed rate.
Some of the longest-sought smart biomaterials are designed to autonomously maintain healthy blood glucose levels in people with diabetes, by continually sensing glucose concentration and releasing tailored insulin doses in response. If a smart, long-lived yet fast-acting glucose-regulating material could be developed, the more than 400 million people with diabetes worldwide could directly benefit.