Moldable gel controls bleeding and supports bone repair in preclinical tests

A research team from the Faculty of Dentistry at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), working in collaboration with Su Ryon Shin's group at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, has advanced and preclinically validated a shape-adaptive hydrogel designed for challenging clinical trauma scenarios involving severe bleeding, irregular bone defects and comminuted fractures.

The findings, published in Advanced Materials, demonstrate the potential of the novel biomaterial, named iHEÄLS, as a versatile platform for complex craniomaxillofacial reconstruction.

Inspired by the familiar malleability of Play-Doh, the hydrogel can be shaped and adapted to irregular anatomical defects while combining rapid hemostasis, strong tissue adhesion, self-healing capability and mechanical resilience—properties that are particularly relevant to emergency trauma care.

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