Smart Nanotherapeutics
In 2009, Swiss entrepreneur Hansjorg Wyss gave Harvard University its single largest monetary gift ever–$125m-to create the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering. Its aims are to develop anticipatory medical devices, bioinspired robotics, and, among other things, programmable nanomaterials for self assembling therapeutics in regenerative medicine and drug delivery. Wyss researchers have now developed a “smart” injectable nanotherapeutic for delivering drugs (presumably for angiogenesis) specifically to the capillaries of the insulin producing cells of the pancreas as a treatment for Type 1 diabetes. This is an interesting piece by itself, but in Googling “Wyss Institute” you’ll find several fascinating videos about other projects. MORE