*This is plenty weird. Especially once you've actually got some inside you. What if your bones and tissues were, like, 95% "synthetic pasta-like objects"? Is there a limit there?
via @futureaware
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-03/acs-go030512.php
"'Noodle gels' or 'spaghetti highways' could become tools of regenerative medicine
"SAN DIEGO, March 25, 2012 — Medicine's recipe for keeping older people active and functioning in their homes and workplaces — and healing younger people injured in catastrophic accidents — may include "noodle gels" and other lab-made invisible filaments that resemble uncooked spaghetti with nanoscale dimensions, a scientist said here today at the 243rd National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). The world's largest scientific society, ACS is meeting here this week with reports on more than 11,000 reports on new advances in science on its schedule.
"Samuel I. Stupp, Ph.D., (((That's a great name – "Dr Stupp is here to restore your smashed hip with noodle gels"))) who presented an ACS plenary lecture, explained that the synthetic pasta-like objects actually are major chemistry advances for regenerative medicine that his research team has accomplished. Regenerative medicine is an emerging field that combines chemistry, biology and engineering. It focuses on the regeneration of tissues and organs for the human body, to repair or replace those damaged through illness, injury, aging or birth defects. Those tissues range from cartilage in joints damaged by arthritis to heart muscle scarred by a heart attack and nerves severed in auto accidents.
"A graying of the population is underway in industrialized countries," Stupp said (((very reasonably))). "In the U.S., we have the 'baby boom' generation — 75 million people born between 1946 and 1964, who now are reaching their mid-60s. At the same time, people are living longer — into their 80s, 90s and even 100s. With that comes an expectation of a better quality of life. It's also an economic issue because with lifespan rising, we're going to have to think about how to provide healthcare and keep people functional for longer periods of time, perhaps to keep them in the workforce longer." ((("Noodle gel averted my retirement," crumbling dowager alleges.)))
"Stupp explained that advances in regenerative medicine also hold promise to improve people's lives at any age. For example, a young person could survive a car accident, but emerge with a spinal cord injury and be paralyzed. Also, cardiovascular disease and heart attacks are a leading cause of premature death around the world. Cartilage wears away and does not regenerate on its own in the body, leading to painful osteoarthritis. Some bones do not mend correctly.
"And the millions of people with diabetes face complications, including blocked blood vessels that result in an increased risk of heart attacks and limb amputations. Regenerative medical techniques could coax cells to grow and repair all of these types of damage, said Stupp, who is with Northwestern University. He is Board of Trustees Professor of Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering, and Medicine and director of the Institute for BioNanotechnology in Medicine. (((
