Design and test new polymers with clinical uses in mind, urge Nicholas A. Peppas and Ali Khademhosseini in a commentary published by scientific journal Nature.
Polymers are well suited for medical applications such as dental implants, hip replacements, and contact lenses among other uses. However, once in the body they can cause harmful side effects. Although safer options exist, gaining clinical approval for new biomaterials is expensive and difficult.
In a commentary published by scientific journal Nature, Professors Nicholas Peppas and Ali Khademhosseini, discuss advances in polymers and taking an integrated approach in evaluating and regulating them.
Integrating techniques such as organ-on-a-chip models and high-throughput testing into the polymer design process would help accelerate their clinical application.
Read the entire commentary in Nature.
Nicholas Peppas is a professor in the Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Pharmacy, and Surgery and Perioperative Care in the Dell Medical School at The University of Texas at Austin. He is also director of the Institute for Biomaterials, Drug Delivery and Regenerative Medicine. Ali Khademhosseini is a professor in the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School. He was a Harrington Fellow and visting researcher to the Department of Biomedical Engineering in 2011.
