PREVIEW

Scientists have developed a revolutionary 3D-printed band-aid for the heart, inspired by the way worms interact in nature. Created by a team from the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Pennsylvania the new 3D printing method produces a material both elastic and robust enough to handle the heart's constant beating and the stress on joints. The new material is durable and adaptable making it ideal for repairing heart valves and stabilising spinal discs. The breakthrough, published in Science, introduces a new generation of biomaterials, including internal bandages that deliver drugs directly to the heart and needle-free sutures. Senior author Jason Burdick highlights that traditional biomedical devices can't be easily customised, but 3D printing now allows for personalised implants. The new method, called CLEAR (Continuous-curing after Light Exposure Aided by Redox initiation), mimics the toughness of worm blobs by entangling long molecules in the material. This innovation results in materials that are exponentially tougher than those produced by conventional methods, conforming and adhering well to tissues. The team aims to further explore these materials' interactions with tissues.