As the cartilage grows, the polymer slowly dissolves. Eventually, the gel is gone, leaving new cartilage behind. Though Elisseeff has shown in lab experiments that it's possible to form hydrogels under skin, more work is needed before the technique is ready for clinical use. Elisseeff may not be directly involved. Still, she'll continue to focus on improving patients' lives.
Proteins are key components of our bodies.
Proteins, though, are today being used to create more and more drugs as well. Much of the work carried out in Bob Langer's lab is done by graduate students, including Karen Fu and John Santini. That means patients get sudden boosts in exposure, followed by a drop-off to what may be trace levels in the blood. Karen Fu says there's a better way. The approach is a variation on Langer's wafer system for brain cancer.