Click on the links below to learn more about technologies invented by Rutgers BME Faculty
Invention: Biocompatible and Biodegradable Films for Effective Prevention of Postoperative Adhesions
Rutgers scientists have developed novel biodegradable and non-toxic polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) films with anti-adhesive and anti-inflammatory properties. These PEC-based films are strong and flexible and can be inserted postoperatively as a physical barrier between tissues and organs at the wound site. In addition to this physical barrier, the negatively charged surface serves as an electrostatic barrier against cell adhesion. These films may be used following both laparotomy and laparoscopic surgeries. These films could serve as a local delivery vehicle for therapeutics. In vivo testing demonstrates that the PEC films prevent formation of adhesions following surgery.
BME Contact: Noshir Langrana
Invention: A Platform Approach for Free Radical-Mediated Targeted Therapeutic Delivery
Various pathological states including tissue injuries, inflammation, degenerative diseases, and cancer are frequently associated with elevated free radicals, such as reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. These locally-generated free radicals are extremely reactive and are known to damage cells and tissues to exacerbate the pathology. Rutgers scientists have developed a novel strategy that aims to harness the reactivity of these free radicals to target and sustain the delivery of therapeutics.
BME Contact: David Shreiber
Invention: A Dual Cell Therapy for Wound Healing
Rutgers scientists have developed combinatorial cell therapy for chronic wound treatment that leverages the effects of insulin and mesenchymal stem cells. Insulin creams improve wound healing but require constant reapplication. Mesenchymal stem cells release growth factors to speed up regeneration but are incompatible with topically applied insulin. Combining the two via co-encapsulation of insulin-producing cells (IPCs) and MSCs in a hydrogel dressing expedites wound healing and decrease scar formation.
BME Contact: Ronke Olabisi
Invention: A Three-Dimensional Pre-Vascularized Scaffold
Rutgers scientists have developed a load-bearing scaffold that mimics the native structure of cortical and trabecular bone to improve outcomes of orthopaedic surgeries. The scaffolds may be seeded with the patient’s own stem cells before implantation to improve bioactivity and tissue regeneration. The scaffold is implanted into a full-thickness defect, where it can immediately bear weight and harness the bone’s natural regenerative capacity to become fully integrated with the native bone, filling an unmet need in the market.
BME Contact: Joseph Freeman
Invention: Novel Microbead-Based Microfluidic Platform for Point-of-Care Analyte Detection
Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices are designed to perform sample processing and analyte detection in a single microfluidic device. Typically, LOC assays are faster, require smaller sample volumes, and cost less than their conventional counterparts. Further, because LOC devices are designed to work without external equipment, they can be used in point-of-care and resource-limited settings. However, it remains a challenge to incorporate all the sample processing steps required by many clinical assays into one microfluidic device. To address the need for more sophisticated LOC devices, Rutgers scientists have developed a microfluidic platform that utilizes paramagnetic microbeads to facilitate on-chip analyte concentration, purification, and detection.
BME Contact: Jeffrey Zahn