Injectable gel to repair damage after a heart attack

New gel technology could form a new type of treatment to help hearts regenerate after injury. University of Manchester Researcher on (BHF) have developed a new biodegradable gel that can help to improve the delivery of cells directly into the living heart and could form a new generation of treatments to repair damage caused by a heart attack. The research is being presented at the British Cardiovascular Society conference in Manchester. Scientists have been looking for ways to introduce new cells into damaged hearts for years, as a way to repair it and reduce the risk of progression to heart failure. But historically, when cells have been injected directly into the heart, only one per cent have remained in place and survived. Now, researchers from the University of Manchester have developed a new biodegradable gel that can be safely injected into the beating heart to act as a scaffold for cells to grow new tissue. The researchers hope their gel will become a key part of future regenerative treatments for damaged hearts.