FURI | Fall 2021

Light-Activated Sealants for Internal Organ Repair and Healing

Health icon, disabled. A red heart with a cardiac rhythm running through it.

Current techniques for internal organ sealing and repair can cause additional trauma, may lack adhesive properties, or cause an inflammatory response. The focus of this study is to develop a film that, when activated by light, will adhere to the target tissue, while keeping the edges of the wound approximated, providing an alternative to sutures, staples, or glues. The polysaccharide chitosan has been developed into a viable sealant film with glutaraldehyde added to prevent swelling and the dye indocyanine green added to absorb light and produce heat for bonding with the tissue. Testing will involve in vivo studies on rodent intestinal tract.

Student researcher

Antara Sira

Antara Sira

Biomedical engineering

Hometown: Gilbert, Arizona, United States

Graduation date: Spring 2022