McGill Researchers Develop Long-Lasting Hydrogel to Treat Vocal Cord Injuries

McGill University researchers have developed a new hydrogel that shows promise in treating vocal cord injuries, which can lead to permanent voice loss due to scarring. The hydrogel, made from natural tissue proteins processed into a powder and converted into a gel, outlasts current injectable treatments in lab and animal tests, providing a better chance for vocal cords to heal. The researchers used a process called click chemistry to make the gel last longer, locking the material together so it doesn't fall apart too quickly once injected.

Key Takeaways:

• The new hydrogel, developed by McGill University researchers, resisted breakdown for weeks in lab and animal tests, outlasting current injectable materials.
• The gel is made from natural tissue proteins processed into a powder and converted into a gel, using a process called click chemistry to make it last longer.
• The hydrogel shows early promise as a treatment for people with vocal cord injuries, which can lead to permanent voice loss due to scarring.
• Vocal cord injuries are common among older adults with acid reflux or who smoke, and people who use their voices professionally, such as singers, teachers, and radio hosts.
• Roughly one in 13 adults experiences a voice disorder each year, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
• Senior author Nicole Li-Jessen, a clinician-scientist and pianist, has seen firsthand how devastating voice loss can be for performers, affecting mental health and quality of life.
• The researchers are now looking to test the gel in computer simulations that mimic how it behaves in the body, with the goal of moving toward human trials if successful.

Statistics:

• The hydrogel resisted breakdown for weeks in lab and animal tests, outlasting current injectable materials.
• Roughly one in 13 adults experiences a voice disorder each year, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
• The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and Canada Research Chair research stipends supported the research.

Sources:

• McGill University
• "Click tetrazine dECM--alginate hydrogels for injectable, mechanically mimetic, and biologically active vocal fold biomaterials" by Mika Brown, Hideaki Okuyama, Ling Li, Zhen Yang, Jianyu Li, Maryam Tabrizian, and Nicole Li-Jessen was published in Biomaterials.
• U.S. National Institutes of Health