https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Researchers at the Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, report in Small, on how short peptides self-assemble linearly on atomically-thick solid surfaces, such as graphite and MoS2. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-hydration-layers-nanoarchitectures-pivotal-role.html Nanomaterials Thu, 26 Jun 2025 11:04:47 EDT news670154683 A team of biomedical researchers led by Michael Mak, Ph.D., in the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, has developed a new method of bioprinting physiological materials. Called TRACE (Tunable Rapid Assembly of Collagenous Elements), the method solves previous problems of bioprinting natural materials of the body. https://phys.org/news/2025-06-collagen-based-method-previous-problems.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 09 Jun 2025 12:04:04 EDT news668689442 An interdisciplinary team of Cornell researchers has identified an innovative way to harness the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the botanical compound lawsone to make nanofiber-coated cotton bandages that fight infection and help wounds heal more quickly. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-nanofiber-coated-cotton-bandages-infection.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 08 Feb 2024 14:25:04 EST news626624701 In human tissue, the cells are embedded in the extracellular matrix. This matrix is made up of fiber-like structures that provide firmness to the tissue, but also influence cell behavior and facilitate cell growth. https://phys.org/news/2023-11-exploring-supramolecular-hydrogels-mimic-extracellular.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 14 Nov 2023 16:35:01 EST news619202086 Recent studies have found that Gires-Tournois (GT) biosensors, a type of nanophotonic resonator, can detect minuscule virus particles and produce colorful micrographs (images taken through a microscope) of viral loads. But they suffer from visual artifacts and non-reproducibility, limiting their utilization. https://phys.org/news/2023-10-scientists-deep-learning-based-biosensing-platform.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 17 Oct 2023 11:37:01 EDT news616761418 Piezoelectricity has been well recognized as the key factor in bone regeneration. However, the current additive-manufactured scaffolds mainly focus on the reconstruction of bionic topological structure and mechanical microenvironment, while the crucial electrical microenvironment (EM) in bone regeneration is neglected. https://phys.org/news/2023-07-3d4d-bio-piezoelectric-scaffolds-potential-bone.html Biochemistry Wed, 19 Jul 2023 10:13:04 EDT news608980381 In a new report now published in Science Advances, Mingze Sun and a research team in physics, mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic engineering in Hong Kong China reported the development of multifunctional tendon-mimetic hydrogels by assembling aramid nanofiber composites. https://phys.org/news/2023-02-tissue-bioinspired-multi-functional-tendon-mimetic-hydrogels.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 27 Feb 2023 09:49:07 EST news596713740 In general, plastics are processed at way over a hundred degrees Celsius. Enzymes, by contrast, cannot usually withstand these high temperatures. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP have managed to reconcile these contradictions: They are able to embed enzymes in plastics without the enzymes losing their activity in the process. The potentials this creates are enormous. https://phys.org/news/2021-06-enzymes-successfully-embedded-plastics.html Polymers Tue, 01 Jun 2021 09:53:29 EDT news541760006 A new low-cost and sustainable technique would boost the possibilities for hospitals and clinics to deliver therapeutics with aerogels, a foam-like material now found in such high-tech applications as insulation for spacesuits and breathable plasters. https://phys.org/news/2021-05-kitchen-freezer-cellulose-aerogel-therapeutic.html Materials Science Mon, 24 May 2021 12:28:18 EDT news541078094 A research group led by Daniel Aili, associate professor at Linköping University, has developed a bioink to print tissue-mimicking material in 3-D printers. The scientists have developed a method and a material that allow cells to survive and thrive. https://phys.org/news/2020-07-bioink-cell-bioprinting-d.html Cell & Microbiology Mon, 13 Jul 2020 11:28:05 EDT news513858483 A research team recently developed "sliding walls" as a new technique for fluid control in microfluidic devices, allowing semi-rigid or rigid walls to slide inside a microfluidic chip. In a new report now on Nature: Microsystems & Nanoengineering, Bastien Venzac and a team of scientists at the Institute Curie and Sorbonne University in Paris, France, engineered several fluidic functions using sliding wall geometry. The device contained on/off switch valves to block or reconfigure channels depending on the wall geometry. The setup contained a hydrogel-based membrane to concentrate, purify and transport biomolecules from one channel to another. The technique is compatible with soft lithography methods for easy implementation based on typical fabrication workflows on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) chips. The new method opens a route to a variety of microfluidic applications, forming simple, hand-driven devices for point-of-care applications in biological labs. https://phys.org/news/2020-04-walls-paradigm-microfluidic-devices.html Nanophysics Thu, 09 Apr 2020 11:09:19 EDT news505649351 In a new study now published on NPG Asia Materials, bioengineers report the development of a new fibrous membrane with stem cells to repair bone defects in the skulls of mice. For this, they incorporated mussel-inspired polydopamine protein as a promising compound to tether biological substances to the membrane surfaces, much like adhesive proteins in mussels. In the work, Yi Deng and a research team in the interdisciplinary departments of chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, materials technology, center for future materials and regenerative medicine in China and Australia, coated the biocompatible membranes with polydopamine nanoparticles to form many topological sites for calcium attachment and bone defect repair. https://phys.org/news/2019-07-bone-tissue-engineeringnano-glue-polymer-membranes.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 30 Jul 2019 09:50:01 EDT news483691986 Surfaces that enable endothelial cell attachment without causing blood clotting are needed for various tissue engineering efforts. A new approach involving phage display has been used to identify unique peptides with these typically divergent characteristics. The work is published in Tissue Engineering. https://phys.org/news/2019-06-phage-blood-contacting-surfaces.html Biotechnology Wed, 19 Jun 2019 12:46:03 EDT news480167153 Biological tissues are built when cells anchor to specific sites on a 3-D microfiber network in an extracellular matrix (ECM). Scientists are keen to recreate biological tissues in the lab using bioinspired tissue engineering and genetic engineering, to form functional ECM motifs fused to recombinant silk proteins. Under adequate physiological conditions, bioengineered silk proteins and fibronectin-silk (FN-silk) can self-assemble into microfiber networks that mimic native ECM. https://phys.org/news/2019-04-ecm-like-fibers-bioactive-silk-d.html Materials Science Mon, 29 Apr 2019 09:30:05 EDT news475743213 Bioinspired materials mimic their natural counterparts for characteristic functionality in multidisciplinary applications forming a popular theme in biomaterials development. In bone tissue engineering, for instance, researchers focus on the natural composite architecture of bone, organically designed from complex structures of mineralized collagen. The resulting bioengineered constructs include inorganic/organic composites based on native mammalian bone components such as carbonated apatite and collagen. However, microparticle incorporation to material constructs can cause complications during premature in vivo resorbability, due to their brittle nature. https://phys.org/news/2019-04-differentiation-bone-precursors-hydroxyapatite-ormohap.html Bio & Medicine Fri, 26 Apr 2019 07:32:22 EDT news475482728 Advances in materials science and production technology have enabled bone tissue engineering (BTE) strategies that generate complex scaffolds with controlled architecture for bone repair. The novel biomaterials can be further functionalized with bioactive molecules for biocompatibility by enhancing osteoinductivity (induce osteogenesis to initiate bone healing). In a recent study published in Multifunctional Materials, IOP Science, Arun Kumar Teotia and co-workers at the Departments of bioengineering, orthopedics, chemical engineering and biomedical engineering, in India, Finland and Sweden developed a novel, multifunctional, bilayered composite scaffold (BCS). The novel material contained ceramic nano-cement (NC) and the macroporous composite scaffold (CG) to mimic bone architecture during bone repair. https://phys.org/news/2019-02-biofunctionalized-ceramics-cranial-bone-defect.html Materials Science Thu, 28 Feb 2019 08:19:26 EST news470564341 Hydrogels are commonly used as biomaterials for applications in biomedicine due to their biocompatibility. However, the relationship between biological cells and the hydrogel surface is still unclear and the existing parameters to explain the interactions are not sophisticated enough. In a recent study, Jooyoung Lee, Boa Song and co-workers at the Center for Biomaterials and the Department of Polymer Engineering in the Republic of Korea studied the impact of polymer chain flexibility on cell adhesion, with a variety of hydrogel constructs composed of the natural polymers collagen and fibrin. https://phys.org/news/2019-02-semi-flexible-model-based-analysis-cell-adhesion.html Polymers Wed, 27 Feb 2019 08:05:30 EST news470477119 Healing is a complex process in adult skin impairments, requiring collaborative biochemical processes for onsite repair. Diverse cell types (macrophages, leukocytes, mast cells) contribute to the associated phases of proliferation, migration, matrix synthesis and contraction, coupled with growth factors and matrix signals at the site of the wound. Understanding signal control and cellular activity at the site could help explain the process of adult skin repair beyond mere patching up and more as regeneration, to assess biomechanics and implement strategies for accelerated wound repair in regenerative medicine. https://phys.org/news/2019-02-skin-wound-regeneration-bioactive-glass-gold.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 14 Feb 2019 09:30:04 EST news469351192 In bone tissue engineering (BTE), 3-D printing is a reliable and customizable method used to repair bone defects by producing biomimetic tissue scaffolds. In a recent study published online on Tissue Engineering Part A (Mary Ann Liebert, Inc), Qing Li and a team of scientists engineered a biomimetic substitute closest to the natural bone structure and composition for bone grafting. For this work, they used two different types of hydroxyapatite (HA) materials: nanohydroxyapatite (nHA) and deproteinized bovine bone (DBB) dispersed into collagen (CoL) to prepare a bio-ink and engineer composites of nHA/CoL and DBB/CoL as 3-D printed scaffolds. https://phys.org/news/2019-02-bioplotting-bone-mimetic-d-tissue-scaffolds.html Materials Science Thu, 07 Feb 2019 09:13:58 EST news468753226 Liver-on-a-chip cell culture devices are attractive biomimetic models in drug discovery, toxicology and tissue engineering research. To maintain specific liver cell functions on a chip in the lab, adequate cell types and culture conditions must be met, which includes 3D cell orientation and a consistent supply of nutrients and oxygen. Compared with conventional 2D cell culture techniques, organ-on-a-chip devices offer versatility and effective biomimicry suited for advanced applications in drug discovery and medicine. https://phys.org/news/2019-01-d-culturing-hepatocytes-liver-on-a-chip-device.html Analytical Chemistry Thu, 17 Jan 2019 09:30:05 EST news466933484 Materials such as poly(ε-caprolactone) are used as scaffolds in bone tissue engineering, but their inherent hydrophobicity and surface smoothness can impair cell attachment, proliferation and differentiation in the lab, or after implantation in vivo. Surface modifications including chemical alterations or the immobilization of biologically active molecules on materials can overcome the intrinsic hydrophobicity of poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL). In a recent study, bioengineers Yasaman Zamani and her colleagues investigated a chemically modified, 3-D printed PCL material surface immobilized with RGD peptide (R: arginine, G: glycine, D: aspartic acid). The results of the study are published on Biomedical Materials, IOP Publishing. https://phys.org/news/2018-12-osteogenic-pre-osteoblasts-surface-modified-d-scaffolds.html Materials Science Thu, 13 Dec 2018 09:30:03 EST news463910020 Borrowing from nature is an age-old theme in science. Form and function go hand-in-hand in the natural world and the structures created by plants and animals are only rarely improved on by humans. https://phys.org/news/2017-03-parsley-human-stem-cell-scaffolds.html Materials Science Mon, 20 Mar 2017 17:32:09 EDT news409249916 In a new paper in Springer's Journal of Materials Science, researchers at Washington State University report a new approach for the effective capture of tumor-derived exosomes from a prostate cancer cell line. Exosomes are small secreted vesicles that play a key role in intercellular communication and cancer progression. https://phys.org/news/2017-02-approach-capture-tumor-derived-exosomes-prostate.html Bio & Medicine Tue, 21 Feb 2017 10:10:13 EST news406894201 Synthetic biology involves creating artificial replica that mimic the building blocks of living systems. It aims at recreating biological phenomena in the laboratory following a bottom-up approach. Today scientists routinely create micro-compartments, so called vesicles, such as liposomes and polymersomes. Their membranes can host biochemical processes and are made of self-assembled lipids or a particular type of polymers, called block copolymers, respectively. In a new study, researchers have developed a high-throughput method based on an approach known as microfluidics for creating stable vesicles of controlled size. The method is novel in that it works for both liposomes and polymersomes, without having to change the design of the microfluidic device or the combination of liquids. Julien Petit from the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organisation (MPIDS) in Göttingen, Germany and colleagues recently published these findings in EPJ E. https://phys.org/news/2016-06-versatile-method-yields-synthetic-biology.html Biochemistry Wed, 15 Jun 2016 07:50:02 EDT news385195176 (Phys.org)—A team of researchers affiliated with several institutions in France has developed a type of injectable foam that may serve as a means for treating osteoporoses and other bone degenerative diseases. The team has published a paper in the journal Acta Biomaterialia describing how they came up with the foam, how it works and the uses to which it might be put. https://phys.org/news/2015-12-calcium-phosphate-foam-due-osteoporoses.html Materials Science Wed, 23 Dec 2015 10:10:02 EST news370085803 Advances in 3-D printing have led to new ways to make bone and some other relatively simple body parts that can be implanted in patients. But finding an ideal bio-ink has stalled progress toward printing more complex tissues with versatile functions—tissues that can be loaded with pharmaceuticals, for example. Now scientists, reporting in the journal ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, have developed a silk-based ink that could open up new possibilities toward that goal. https://phys.org/news/2015-09-silk-bio-ink-advance-tissue-d.html Materials Science Wed, 02 Sep 2015 12:02:33 EDT news360414143 An organic dye that can light up cancer cells for two powerful imaging techniques providing complementary diagnostic information has been developed and successfully tested in mice by A*STAR researchers. https://phys.org/news/2015-08-probe-enables-tumors-complementary-imaging.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 31 Aug 2015 10:00:01 EDT news360230883 An organic dye that can light up cancer cells for two powerful imaging techniques providing complementary diagnostic information has been developed and successfully tested in mice by A*STAR researchers. https://phys.org/news/2015-07-probe-enables-tumor-complementary-imaging.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 29 Jul 2015 08:20:02 EDT news357375873 Thin-film transistors (TFTs) are powerful devices in semiconductor manufacturing and form the basis of countless electronic devices, such as memory chips, photovoltaic cells, logic gates, and sensors. An interesting alternative to inorganic TFTs (silicon) is organic TFTs (OTFTs), which offer the possibility of mass production by using the conventional printing technology and working with low-cost materials. However, numerous inherent problems still remain, especially concerning the long-term stability and lack of reliability. https://phys.org/news/2014-08-inkjet-printed-field-effect-transistor-label-free-biosensing.html Nanophysics Mon, 11 Aug 2014 08:50:02 EDT news326965007 (Phys.org)—A membrane consisting of polymer fibres and proteins makes a novel filter for tiny, nano-scaled particles in aqueous solutions. The result of such a research, which was done by Professor Mady Elbahri and his team from the Institute of Material Science at Kiel University (KU) and the Institute of Polymer Research at Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG), has recently been published as the cover article in the current issue of Advanced Functional Materials. https://phys.org/news/2012-11-sieve-nanoparticles-solar-absorber.html Nanomaterials Tue, 27 Nov 2012 08:06:14 EST news273225962