(May 14, 2015) University
of Toronto researchers show that engineered ‘hydrogels’ not only help with stem
cell transplantation, but actually speed healing in both the eye and brain
Toronto scientists and engineers have made a breakthrough in
cell transplantation using a gel-like biomaterial that keeps cells alive and
helps them integrate better into tissue. In two early lab trials, this has
already shown to partially reverse blindness and help the brain recover from
stroke.
Led by University of Toronto professors Molly Shoichet
(ChemE, IBBME) and Derek van der Kooy, together with Professor Cindi Morshead,
the team encased stem cells in a hydrogel that boosted their healing abilities
when transplanted into both the eye and the brain. These findings are part of
an ongoing effort to develop new therapies to repair nerve damage caused by a
disease or injury.