Chitosan News and Research

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Chitosan is a naturally occuring polymer isolated from crab and shrimp shells. Chitosan has shown promise as a carrier of anticancer drugs, antitumor genes, and other novel therapeutics.

Researcher wins grant from NCI to continue developing new therapy for bladder cancer

A biomedical engineering researcher at the University of Arkansas will use a $416,897 grant from the National Cancer Institute to continue developing a new therapy for bladder cancer.

6 Mar 2014

New heart tissue could help patients suffering from irreparable damage

In the U.S., someone suffers a heart attack every 34 seconds - their heart is starved of oxygen and suffers irreparable damage. Engineering new heart tissue in the laboratory that could eventually be implanted into patients could help, and scientists are reporting a promising approach tested with rat cells.

23 Jan 2014

Combination of NGF microspheres and chitosan conduits exhibit better effects in repairing facial nerve injury

The chitosan molecule can promote nerve cell adherence and growth along the surface of the material. It can enhance the adherence and influx of Schwann cells, thus encouraging the growth of axons.

28 Dec 2013

Nanotechnology-based technique: A painless method for maintaining healthy blood sugar levels

A new nanotechnology-based technique for regulating blood sugar in diabetics may give patients the ability to release insulin painlessly using a small ultrasound device, allowing them to go days between injections - rather than using needles to give themselves multiple insulin injections each day.

22 Nov 2013

Elevated miR-200 boosts survival of lung, ovarian, renal, triple-negative breast cancer patients

A family of microRNAs (miR-200) blocks cancer progression and metastasis by stifling a tumor's ability to weave new blood vessels to support itself, researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report today in Nature Communications.

12 Sep 2013

Researchers develop new drug delivery technique for diabetes treatment

Researchers have developed a drug delivery technique for diabetes treatment in which a sponge-like material surrounds an insulin core. The sponge expands and contracts in response to blood sugar levels to release insulin as needed. The technique could also be used for targeted drug delivery to cancer cells.

19 Jul 2013

TriStar Wellness Solutions completes acquisition of HemCon Medical Technologies

TriStar Wellness Solutions, Inc., a health and wellness company that targets opportunities in the self-care and professional marketplace, has acquired HemCon Medical Technologies Inc., a Portland, Oregon-based leading researcher and manufacturer of products for bleeding and wound management.

13 May 2013

Researchers develop injectable nano-network to control blood-sugar levels

In a promising development for diabetes treatment, researchers have developed a network of nanoscale particles that can be injected into the body and release insulin when blood-sugar levels rise, maintaining normal blood sugar levels for more than a week in animal-based laboratory tests.

4 May 2013

Tissue engineering combined with gene therapy can manage repair of defective articular cartilage

Researchers at Micro Orthopaedics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, led by Dr. Ai-xi Yu, have suggested that articular cartilage defects can be repaired by a novel thermo-sensitive injectable hydrogel engineered with gene modified bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells.

24 Apr 2013

Fruit-juice-infused chocolate offers healthy treat

Already renowned as a healthy treat when enjoyed in moderation, chocolate could become even more salubrious if manufacturers embraced new technology for making "fruit-juice-infused chocolate," a scientist said here today.

8 Apr 2013

New biocompatible patch can repair congenital heart defects

A painstaking effort to create a biocompatible patch to heal infant hearts is paying off at Rice University and Texas Children's Hospital.

13 Dec 2012

Video-article details new laser-activated bio-adhesive polymer

A new video-article in JoVE, Journal of Visualized Experiments, details the use of a new laser-activated bio-adhesive polymer. The chitosan-based polymer, SurgiLux, was developed by scientists at the University of New South Wales.

26 Oct 2012

UPC improves antimicrobial properties of medical textiles

The Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology Group of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya · BarcelonaTech (UPC) has improved the antimicrobial properties of medical textiles using an enzymatic pre-treatment combined with simultaneous deposition of nanoparticles and biopolymers under ultrasonic irradiation.

16 Oct 2012

Shampoo effective for pruritus relief in dogs

Shampooing dogs with pruritus is an effective method to reduce symptoms even if the shampoo does not contain any active ingredients, report researchers in Veterinary Record.

1 Aug 2012

Positive data from Piramal Healthcare’s BST-CarGel Phase III cartilage repair trial

Piramal Healthcare Bio-Orthopaedics, a division of Piramal Healthcare Limited, today announced that positive data from their pivotal (Phase III) clinical trial is being presented in 3 podium presentations as well as during an Industry Symposium at the 10th World Congress of the International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS), May 12 to 15, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

14 May 2012

Killer coating destroys bacteria and fungi on contact

Better than antibiotics, it is being used in contact lenses to prevent infections and biomedical products are the next stage

11 May 2012

Irreversible Electroporation can more effectively kill cancer cells with BNNTs

A new study has shown that adding boron-nitride nanotubes to the surface of cancer cells can double the effectiveness of Irreversible Electroporation, a minimally invasive treatment for soft tissue tumors in the liver, lung, prostate, head and neck, kidney and pancreas.

27 Apr 2012

ACS symposium focuses on biomimetics

Combining the secrets that enable water striders to walk on water and give wood its lightness and great strength has yielded an amazing new material so buoyant that, in everyday terms, a boat made from 1 pound of the substance could carry five kitchen refrigerators, about 1,000 pounds.

27 Mar 2012

HemCon disappointed with CAFC decision over Marine Polymer patent infringement case

HemCon Medical Technologies, Inc. announced today that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) issued an en banc decision on March 15, 2012 in the 2006 patent infringement case brought by Marine Polymer Technologies Inc. The decision affirmed a trial court decision awarding damages to Marine Polymer and enjoining the manufacture of infringing products.

17 Mar 2012

Researchers describe preparation of chitosan nanoparticles

Nanoparticles containing chitosan have been shown to have effective antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus saprophyticus and Escherichia coli. The materials could be used as a protective wound-healing material to avoid opportunistic infection as well as working to facilitate wound healing.

17 Mar 2012