Wyss InstituteMaterials Science – Wyss Institute

Innovative tissue engineering: ESCAPE, a pioneering new method explained

Jessica Leff — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 16:00:31 +0000

By Boston University Communications (BOSTON) — When it comes to the human body, form and function work together. The shape and structure of our hands enable us to hold and manipulate things. Tiny air sacs in our lungs called alveoli allow for air exchange and help us breath in and out. And tree-like blood vessels branch throughout our body, delivering oxygen from our head to our toes.

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ESCAPE Bioengineering

Jessica Leff — Wed, 11 Dec 2024 16:00:06 +0000

A research team at the Wyss Institute and Boston University has developed ESCAPE, the first method that enables the engineering of tissues across multiple length scales, ranging from the diameter of a cell to the cm scale of a heart valve. Credit: Wyss Institute at Harvard University…

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Injectable Hydrogel Adhesive for Improved Muscle Regeneration

Jessica Leff — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 14:30:59 +0000

Although it was only given a clinical definition in 2010, volumetric muscle loss (VML) has been a persistent problem in medicine for centuries. VML can be caused by injuries, diseases, and some surgical procedures like removing a tumor, and results in so much damage to a muscle that its function is permanently compromised, leading to long-term disability. There is currently no effective treatment…

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Kwasi Adu-Berchie named 2024 STAT Wunderkind

Jessica Leff — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 14:11:12 +0000

By Lindsay Brownell (BOSTON) – The Wyss Institute is thrilled to announce that Kwasi Adu-Berchie, Ph.D., a member of the Wyss’ Advanced Technology Team working in Immuno-Materials Platform led by Core Faculty member Dave Mooney, Ph.D., has been named a 2024 STAT Wunderkind by STAT News. The Wunderkinds awards are given annually by STAT News to the next generation of scientific superstars who…

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Attivare licenses Wyss Institute’s immune-modulating biomaterial technology to advance immunotherapies

Jessica Leff — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 13:20:13 +0000

By Benjamin Boettner (BOSTON) — Today, the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University and Attivare Therapeutics Inc. announced that Attivare has licensed a portfolio of immune-modulating biomaterial technologies from Harvard University that was created at the Wyss Institute, John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS)…

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Eliz Amar Lewis on Using Many Tools to Fight a Sophisticated Disease

Jessica Leff — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 14:50:19 +0000

The Humans of the Wyss (HOW) series features members of the Wyss community discussing their work, the influences that shape them as professionals, and their collaborations at the Wyss Institute and beyond. Eliz Amar Lewis has always been fascinated by biology. But when she saw her grandmother bravely battle breast cancer, she was inspired to use her passion to develop a smart and sophisticated…

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Preventing pollution with bioinspired solutions

Jessica Leff — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 21:14:47 +0000

By Lindsay Brownell In honor of Pollution Prevention Week, we’re highlighting three Wyss projects that are taking on the formidable problems of PFAS and plastic – persistent and toxic pollutants that threaten the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), or “forever chemicals,” are toxic substances that increase the risk of many health…

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3D-printed blood vessels bring artificial organs closer to reality

Jessica Leff — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 16:55:18 +0000

By Lindsay Brownell (BOSTON) — Growing functional human organs outside the body is a long-sought “holy grail” of organ transplantation medicine that remains elusive. New research from Harvard’s Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering and John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) brings that quest one big step closer to completion. A team of scientists…

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MyoExo: Wearable Muscle-Centric Sensors for Improved Assessment of Neurological Disorders

Jessica Leff — Wed, 01 May 2024 14:00:27 +0000

Abnormal changes in muscle function are hallmarks of a collection of neurological disorders, including Parkinson’s Disease (PD), essential tremor, epilepsy, certain sleep disorders, and others. For example, patients with PD can have slowed movements (bradykinesia), tremors, and muscle stiffness (rigidity) – doctors need to detect at least two of the three signs for a positive diagnosis.

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Catalytic Materials: Cheaper, Better Air Purification for a Healthier World

Mariel Schoen — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 20:22:04 +0000

Catalytic converters are the most widely used kind of air pollution control device, and are installed in many smokestacks and car tailpipes. However, standard catalytic converters are very expensive because the catalysts used in them are precious metals like platinum, meaning they are not always replaced as often as they should be, and are the target of theft in lower-income areas.

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