Featured
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Article |
Lyophilized lymph nodes for improved delivery of chimeric antigen receptor T cells
Implants made from patient-derived lyophilized lymph nodes loaded with chimeric antigen receptor T cells improve T cell delivery and inhibit tumour recurrence.
- Jiaqi Shi
- , Wei Wu
- & Zhen Gu
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Article
| Open AccessDrinkable in situ-forming tough hydrogels for gastrointestinal therapeutics
Sequential drinks of crosslinker and polymer solutions form a tough hydrogel in the stomach, enabling delivery of drugs and biologics in this harsh chemical environment.
- Gary W. Liu
- , Matthew J. Pickett
- & Giovanni Traverso
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Editorial |
Life-saving vaccines awarded
The fundamental discoveries that enabled the development of effective mRNA vaccines against COVID-19 were awarded with this year’s Nobel Prize in Medicine.
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News & Views |
Genetically encoded protein crystals by hierarchical design
Three protein interaction surfaces are computationally designed into one protein subunit to enable their accurate assembly into three-dimensional crystals with user-specified lattice architectures.
- Eduardo Anaya-Plaza
- & Mauri A. Kostiainen
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Article |
Colloidal quasicrystals engineered with DNA
The rational design and assembly of colloidal quasicrystals is achieved by exploring the hybridization of nanoscale decahedra nanoparticles functionalized with DNA linkers.
- Wenjie Zhou
- , Yein Lim
- & Chad A. Mirkin
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Article |
Percolation-induced gel–gel phase separation in a dilute polymer network
A dilute water–polymer mixture exhibits a percolation-induced gel–gel phase separation, resulting in a two gel co-continuous substrate, which is used for adipose tissue development.
- Shohei Ishikawa
- , Yasuhide Iwanaga
- & Takamasa Sakai
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Article |
Accurate computational design of three-dimensional protein crystals
The process of protein crystallization is poorly understood and difficult to program through the primary sequence. Here the authors develop a computational approach to designing three-dimensional protein crystals with prespecified lattice architectures with high accuracy.
- Zhe Li
- , Shunzhi Wang
- & David Baker
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Article
| Open AccessMagneto-acoustic protein nanostructures for non-invasive imaging of tissue mechanics in vivo
Magneto-gas vesicles, protein nanostructures with enhanced ultrasound signal and sensitivity, enable the non-invasive, long-term and quantitative monitoring of the mechanics of three-dimensional tissues and animals.
- Whee-Soo Kim
- , Sungjin Min
- & Jinwoo Cheon
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Article |
In situ PEGylation of CAR T cells alleviates cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity
Polyethylene glycol conjugation to chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR T) cells creates a physical block between CAR T cell interactions and other immune and tumour cells, controlling tumour lysis and immune response stimulation to mitigate cytokine release syndrome.
- Ningqiang Gong
- , Xuexiang Han
- & Michael J. Mitchell
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Article |
Molecular radio afterglow probes for cancer radiodynamic theranostics
Organic luminophores emit a bright near-infrared afterglow after X-ray irradiation and outperform commercially available radio sensitizers by producing higher levels of singlet oxygen, having potential applications in precision cancer theranostics.
- Jingsheng Huang
- , Lichao Su
- & Kanyi Pu
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Article |
Rapid fabrication of physically robust hydrogels
Hydrogels are promising materials but are often limited by inadequate mechanical properties and time-consuming fabrication processes. Here the authors demonstrate a rapid biomimetic interfacial-bonding nanocomposite strategy for ultra-tough hydrogels with high tensile strength.
- Bingkun Bao
- , Qingmei Zeng
- & Linyong Zhu
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Article |
Fibre-infused gel scaffolds guide cardiomyocyte alignment in 3D-printed ventricles
A gelatin–alginate hydrogel ink incorporating short gelatin fibres guides the self-organization of human cardiomyocytes into contractile tissues that can be 3D-printed into structures mimicking human organs.
- Suji Choi
- , Keel Yong Lee
- & Kevin Kit Parker
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Article |
Compressive forces stabilize microtubules in living cells
Microtubules respond to mechanical compression by deforming, becoming more stable, which results in CLASP2 recruitment to the distorted shaft—a process crucial for cell migration through confined spaces.
- Yuhui Li
- , Ondřej Kučera
- & Manuel Théry
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News & Views |
A defensive blanket against viral infection of the lungs
A safe, inhalable formulation of mucin-interacting hydrogel microparticles creates a dense protective network in the lungs against viral infections.
- Thomas Crouzier
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Article |
Photo-expansion microscopy enables super-resolution imaging of cells embedded in 3D hydrogels
Photopolymerizable hydrogels enable optical clearance and high homogeneous expansion for high-resolution optical imaging of cells embedded within degradable hydrogels.
- Kemal Arda Günay
- , Tze-Ling Chang
- & Kristi S. Anseth
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Review Article |
Hydrogels for RNA delivery
RNA-based therapeutics hold promise for the treatment of several diseases. This Review provides an overview of hydrogels for RNA delivery, discussing how the chemical nature and physical properties of hydrogels can be explored for tailored RNA loading and release, and highlighting the use of these materials in biomedical applications.
- Ruibo Zhong
- , Sepehr Talebian
- & Jinjun Shi
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News & Views |
A synthetic tumour microenvironment
A bioengineered model incorporating a synthetic extracellular matrix recapitulates the lymphoid tumour microenvironment, making it a valuable tool for drug testing and designing personalized therapies.
- Akhilesh K. Gaharwar
- & Irtisha Singh
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News & Views |
Immunostimulatory nanoparticles go viral
A polymeric nanoparticle adjuvant containing a Toll-like receptor 7 agonist elicits broad protection against viral challenges.
- Jorge Huete-Carrasco
- & Ed C. Lavelle
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News & Views |
Inhalable mRNA nanoparticles
A large-scale screening identifies an inhalable polymer nanoparticle formulation that safely and effectively delivers therapeutic mRNA molecules to the lungs of several animal species.
- Ronnie H. Fang
- & Liangfang Zhang
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Article |
An inhaled bioadhesive hydrogel to shield non-human primates from SARS-CoV-2 infection
A bioadhesive hydrogel delivered via inhalation efficiently coats the airway and restricts SARS-CoV-2 virus variant penetration in mice and non-human primates
- Xuan Mei
- , Junlang Li
- & Ke Cheng
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Article
| Open AccessPolarity and chirality control of an active fluid by passive nematic defects
Defects of a passive nematic liquid crystal made from actin filaments pattern the collective behaviour of active microtubules, creating macroscopic polar patterns and chiral loops.
- Alfredo Sciortino
- , Lukas J. Neumann
- & Andreas R. Bausch
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Article
| Open AccessTissue fluidification promotes a cGAS–STING cytosolic DNA response in invasive breast cancer
Tissue fluidification in invasive breast carcinoma is accompanied by mechanical stresses that compromise nuclear integrity and liberate DNA, resulting in the activation of a pro-inflammatory response that shape tumour evolution and progression.
- Emanuela Frittoli
- , Andrea Palamidessi
- & Giorgio Scita
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Research Briefing |
Self-regenerating living material made of printed fungi
Three-dimensional printing of hydrogels loaded with fungal mycelium can produce living materials with unique adaptive properties in shapes that are relevant for engineering applications. The metabolic activity of the living mycelial network allows the printed structure to grow autonomously and self-regenerate when it is provided with nutrients in water.
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Review Article |
Hierarchically structured bioinspired nanocomposites
This Review discusses recent progress in bioinspired nanocomposite design, emphasizing the role of hierarchical structuring at distinct length scales to create multifunctional, lightweight and robust structural materials for diverse technological applications.
- Dhriti Nepal
- , Saewon Kang
- & Hendrik Heinz
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Article |
Nanoparticle-modified microrobots for in vivo antibiotic delivery to treat acute bacterial pneumonia
Biohybrid microrobots consisting of nanoparticle-modified microalgae are constructed for active drug delivery in the lungs. In an acute bacterial pneumonia model, the microrobots effectively reduce bacterial burden and lessen animal mortality.
- Fangyu Zhang
- , Jia Zhuang
- & Joseph Wang
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Letter |
Weak catch bonds make strong networks
Reconstituted cytoskeleton networks linked with catch bonds display increased mechanical strength and crack resistance than those containing slip bonds, and simultaneously being more deformable, which allows for better adaptability to new mechanical environments.
- Yuval Mulla
- , Mario J. Avellaneda
- & Gijsje H. Koenderink
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Comment |
Ascendancy of semi-synthetic biomaterials from design towards democratization
Semi-synthetic goldilocks material design integrates the tunable characteristics of synthetic materials and the refined complexity of natural components, enabling for the progress of biomaterials across length scales. Accelerated translational success may thus be possible for more personalized and accessible products.
- Alessondra T. Speidel
- , Christopher L. Grigsby
- & Molly M. Stevens
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Comment |
Materials innovation from quantum to global
Twentieth-century utopian visions of a space-age future have been eclipsed by dystopian fears of climate change and environmental degradation. Avoiding such grim forecasts depends on materials innovation and our ability to predict and plan not only their behaviour but also their sustainable manufacture, use and recyclability.
- Philip Ball
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Article |
Mechanical checkpoint regulates monocyte differentiation in fibrotic niches
Myelofibrosis causes a pathological remodelling of the bone marrow, which becomes stiffer and more elastic, thus promoting the proliferation of proinflammatory monocytes and their differentiation into dendritic cells.
- Kyle H. Vining
- , Anna E. Marneth
- & David J. Mooney
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News & Views |
Wireless neuromodulation with porous silicon
Wireless optoelectronic devices are fabricated by controlling the porosity of p-type silicon, enabling in vivo efficient, non-genetic optoelectronic modulation of peripheral nerve activity.
- Silvestro Micera
- & Eugenio Redolfi Riva
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Article
| Open Access3D printed protein-based robotic structures actuated by molecular motor assemblies
Three-dimensional printed protein-based robotic structures are actuated by exoskeleton-like coats of molecular motor assemblies upon the spatially targeted release of chemical fuel, resulting in micrometre-scale shape-morphing activity.
- Haiyang Jia
- , Johannes Flommersfeld
- & Petra Schwille
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Article |
Porosity-based heterojunctions enable leadless optoelectronic modulation of tissues
Fabrication of semiconductor heterojunctions typically involves a complex process and often leads to bioincompatibility. Here, the authors propose a porous heterojunction in p-type silicon via simple stain etching at ambient conditions, and apply it in optically induced biomodulation.
- Aleksander Prominski
- , Jiuyun Shi
- & Menahem Y. Rotenberg
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News & Views |
Lipid nanodiscs give cancer a STING
Lipid nanodiscs carrying a potent STING agonist penetrate deep into solid tumours compared with gold-standard liposomes and enable long-term antitumour immunotherapy.
- Ningqiang Gong
- & Michael J. Mitchell
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Editorial |
Materials come alive
The dissemination of synthetic biology into materials science is creating an evolving class of functional, engineered living materials that can grow, sense and adapt similar to biological organisms.
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News & Views |
Living building blocks
A prototypical biocomposite block comprising a blend of bacteria, fungi and feedstock can be assembled into human-sized, living structures with self-healing and environmental sensing capabilities.
- Kwok Soon Wun
- , In Young Hwang
- & Matthew Wook Chang
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Perspective |
The living interface between synthetic biology and biomaterial design
This Perspective reviews the complementary developments in synthetic biology and biomaterials and discusses how convergence of these two fields creates a promising design strategy for the fabrication of tailored living materials for medicine and biotechnology.
- Allen P. Liu
- , Eric A. Appel
- & Ovijit Chaudhuri
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Article |
3D-printed hierarchical pillar array electrodes for high-performance semi-artificial photosynthesis
Wiring photosynthetic biomachineries to electrodes is promising for sustainable bio-electricity and fuel generation, but designing such interfaces is challenging. Aerosol jet printing is now used to generate hierarchical pillar array electrodes using indium tin oxide nanoparticles for high-performance semi-artificial photosynthesis.
- Xiaolong Chen
- , Joshua M. Lawrence
- & Jenny Z. Zhang
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Article |
Engineering living and regenerative fungal–bacterial biocomposite structures
Lignocellulosic waste is transformed into fungal–bacterial biocomposites that can be processed into recyclable, human-scale structural objects with biosynthetic and sensing–reporting functionalities.
- Ross M. McBee
- , Matt Lucht
- & Harris H. Wang
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Article |
Synthetic dynamic hydrogels promote degradation-independent in vitro organogenesis
The influence of stress relaxation of the extracellular matrix on the formation of intestinal organoids was investigated. It was shown that a stress-relaxing synthetic matrix promotes crypt budding through increased symmetry breaking and niche cell formation.
- Antonius Chrisnandy
- , Delphine Blondel
- & Matthias P. Lutolf
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Article |
Large-scale fabrication of structurally coloured cellulose nanocrystal films and effect pigments
The large-scale fabrication of cellulose nanocrystal photonic films in a roll-to-roll device is achieved by careful optimization of the cellulose nanocrystal formulation and its controlled deposition and drying on a substrate. Once dry, these photonic films can be peeled and milled into effect pigments, highlighting the potential of cellulose nanocrystals as a sustainable material for industrial photonic applications.
- Benjamin E. Droguet
- , Hsin-Ling Liang
- & Silvia Vignolini
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News & Views |
A ‘Swiss army knife’ probe for metastatic cancers
A nanosensor probe that combines a tumour-targeting peptide, a diagnostic reporter and an imaging contrast agent enables early diagnosis, precision imaging, disease stratification and downstream therapeutic response monitoring of metastatic cancer.
- Matthew Bogyo
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Article |
A microenvironment-inspired synthetic three-dimensional model for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma organoids
A synthetic hydrogel has been developed to mimic the physicochemical properties of pancreatic tissue and is shown to support the culture of pancreatic cancer organoids, revealing the role of laminin–integrin interactions in their growth.
- Christopher R. Below
- , Joanna Kelly
- & Claus Jørgensen
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Editorial |
A molecular jack-of-all-trades
DNA is much more than the genetic information it carries. It is a versatile material for creating systems with tailor-made functionalities that are having an important impact in emerging technologies.
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News & Views |
A PCR-free approach to random access in DNA
Data-encoded DNA sequences have been encapsulated in barcoded silica beads for a random access storage system without PCR amplification.
- Luca Piantanida
- & William L. Hughes
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Review Article |
Next-generation cancer organoids
This Review summarizes limitations in the current techniques used for patient-derived cancer organoid culture and highlights recent advancements and future opportunities for their standardization.
- Bauer L. LeSavage
- , Riley A. Suhar
- & Sarah C. Heilshorn
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Photocurable bioresorbable adhesives as functional interfaces between flexible bioelectronic devices and soft biological tissues
A functional interfacial material has been developed for soft integration of bioelectronic devices with biological tissues. This has been applied in battery-free optoelectronic systems for deep-brain optogenetics and subdermal phototherapy as well as wireless millimetre-scale pacemakers and flexible multielectrode epicardial arrays.
- Quansan Yang
- , Tong Wei
- & John A. Rogers
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News & Views |
Getting a grip with kirigami
An implantable stent inspired by kirigami has been developed and integrated with a fluidically driven soft actuator to deliver drugs to tubular organs in the body such as the gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts.
- Alexandra Teleki
- & Per Artursson