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The invention considered makes improvements possible in the field of biomedical engineering by creating a hydrogel/polymer substrate for cellular growth.
About
The invention considered makes improvements possible in the field of biomedical engineering by creating a hydrogel/polymer substrate for cellular growth, where the topography of said substrate can be manipulated via an applied electromagnetic field for the purpose of improved cellular detachment. The use of hydrogels is prevalent in the field of biomedical engineering as a route through which to mimic the complex design of biological tissues. Due to their inherent ability to encourage cellular growth, hydrogels act as an ideal substrate for growing desired cells; yet the main concern is the removal of the cells from the hydrogel substrate.
Key Benefits
The central advantage to this method and hydrogel design, with induction heating activation of the shape memory polymer (SMP), is that the system allows for the SMP to be heated remotely, with little or no thermal impact to the tissue on the hydrogel scaffold. This increases the viability of other mechanical (scraping) methods or shape memory activation with an exposure to high temperature that also heats the tissue.
Applications
Tissue transplants Hydrogel scaffold tissue growth Drug release Shape activations for medical implants