First-of-its-kind hydrogel platform enables on-demand production of medicines, chemicals
Sunday, February 9, 2020 - 19:40
in Biology & Nature
A team of chemical engineers has developed a new way to produce medicines and chemicals on demand and preserve them using portable ''biofactories'' embedded in water-based gels called hydrogels. The approach could help people in remote villages or on military missions, where the absence of pharmacies, doctor's offices or even basic refrigeration makes it hard to access critical medicines, daily use chemicals and other small-molecule compounds.