Next-generation Biomaterials

Dr. Akbari and his collaborators from Mayo Clinic, Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are developing a biomaterial that has potential to control bleeding during surgery, traumatic injuries, and fatal gunshot wounds in the battlefield. This material is shear-thinning, it flows easier when it is under shear strain, thus can be injected through catheters and needles with minimum force. The nanoparticles used in the material accelerate the blood clotting process and blocks the bleeding quickly. This innovative mechanoresponsive material represents an exciting new advancement for the treatment of patients with clotting disorders, minimally-invasive management of aneurysms, and endovascular drug delivery.