What is Tamarind? Tamarind is a website that makes computational biology tools available online, for example, protein design, docking, and structure prediction software. As a SAAS (Software as a Service) it streamlines the entire process of downloading, installing, learning, and using these softwares. The founders’ goal with Tamarind is to make drug discovery more accessible…

This week on The BioLOG Show, I get to speak with Dr. Pashuck of Lehigh University! Pashuck Lab focuses on developing cell-responsive biomaterials for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Join me in this insightful conversation where we talk about the biomaterials industry, biomaterials superpowers, and the lab’s most recent publication on Peptide Diversification. Thank you…

Brace yourself for a journey into the realm of additive manufacturing (AM) of biomaterials—a technological leap that is reshaping the landscape of healthcare as we know it. Biomedical products are no longer constrained by traditional manufacturing methods such as injection molding and plastic joining. Additive manufacturing opens up doors for increased freedom of design, mass…

Overshadowed by bacterial and viral infections, fungal pathogens claim the lives of over 1.5 million individuals each year, while infecting a staggering 13 million people annually. Similarly, their treatment and the meager funding for fungal research often languish in the shadows. But, as we forge ahead, adapting and inventing new preventive medicines, fungi too evolve,…

What are hydrogels? Hydrogels are becoming the bread-and-butter of the Biomaterials world, especially when it comes to developing safe and effective treatments for life-threatening diseases. Hydrogels are essentially 3-dimensional structures that hold a lot of water (to put it in very scientific terms), and the simplicity of the structure is what lends to their versatility.…

Chimeric Antigen Receptors are surprisingly not related to mythological creatures that are part lion, goat, and snake. More excitingly, they are engineered receptors that can bind to specific antigens on cancer cells, allowing them to be identified and lysed. T-cells can be genetically modified to produce CAR receptors, creating a promising and effective therapy that…

A Biomaterial: “a natural or synthetic material…that is suitable for introduction into living tissue” (Merriam Webster). Although correct, this definition does not convey the significance biomaterials have in the medical world. Not only can scientists use existing materials to solve problems in the body, but they can develop entirely new substances to address these issues.…