UC Berkeley scientists have taken proteins from nerve cells and used them to create a “smart” material that is extremely sensitive to its environment. This marriage of materials science and biology could give birth to a flexible, sensitive coating that is easy and cheap to manufacture in large quantities.
Innovations will surge in the protective coatings industry by 2020, giving rise to a range of improved biocompatible and durable coatings that enable implant devices for use in orthopedic, orthodontic and cardiac applications.
Iranian biomaterials researchers from Isfahan University of Technology produced biocompatible materials based on metallic alloy to modify the properties of materials used in tissue engineering.
A new market report projects the global medical device coatings market to increase from $4.7 billion in 2009 to $7.5 billion in 2014, with a compound annual growth rate of 9.9 percent.
Tiny implants to monitor bodily functions or to provide insulin or any other drug based on immediate need would be an advancement in personalized medicine, but a problem inherent in implants is the tendency of the human immune system to recognize the device as an invader and encapsulate it, preventing the device from doing its job.
