Researchers at McGill University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering have discovered a simple and low-cost method to engineer living materials such as tissues, organs, and blood clots. By applying controlled vibration to these materials as they form, scientists can influence their strength and weakness. The technique, which uses a speaker to agitate the materials, works across a range of soft cellular materials, including blood clots and human tissues. The findings, published in Advanced Functional Materials, have potential applications in organ transplants, wound healing, and regenerative medicine. The method can make materials up to four times stronger or weaker, depending on the need. This technique is safer and more scalable than previous methods, which relied on physical forces like magnets or ultrasound waves. The researchers believe that this method could one day be integrated into advanced medical devices or wound-healing techniques, and could be used to create portable medical devices or smart bandages that speed up healing. Further testing is required before the method can be used in real-life medical settings.
Researchers at McGill have created a safe and scalable method using vibrations to enhance the quality of tissues grown in laboratories, a breakthrough with potential applications in the field of regenerative medicine.
