Injectable 'biogel' could help patients with traumatic brain injuries

Published on Wednesday 2 September 2009 21:47

AN INJECTABLE "biogel" that may help wounded soldiers and car crash victims recover from brain injuries could be tested on patients in three years, it has been claimed.

The material, containing a cocktail of synthetic and natural chemicals, spurs on the growth of neural stem cells which in turn repair damaged nerves.

Details of the work were presented at the Military Research Forum in Kansas City, in the United States, a meeting geared towards medical advances that can help the armed forces.

It is hoped the biogel will be useful in the treatment of soldiers with head injuries. Modern clothing and equipment has led to larger numbers of soldiers surviving serious injuries that previously would have been fatal. Many sustain head wounds and brain damage from explosions and gunfire.

Dr Ning Zhang, who led the biogel development team at Clemson University in South Carolina, said: "We have seen an increase in brain injuries due to combat, but our strategy can also potentially be applied to head injuries caused by car accidents, falls and gunshot wounds.

The new procedure involves injecting the biogel into the wound site to direct the response of neural stem cells that in the brain produce nerve cells. Chemicals in the biogel will help the neural stem cells to regenerate normal brain tissue at the site of damage.