Edited for brevity.
Researchers at two different Israeli universities have recently developed novel materials that respectively stimulate speedy bone and cartilage repair, and enable faster and improved healing of injuries. At the Technion in Haifa, Dr. Dror Seliktar has invented a unique gel called Gelrin that he believes will reduce the need for bone transplants and heal bone defects caused by cancer or trauma. There is large potential market for the product, according to Seliktar, as orthopedic bone procedures will soon reach one million annually in the U.S. alone. Gelrin’s "bone glue" combines biological and synthetic components that when mixed together, supports broken bones and allows them to grow new bone tissue. After the broken bone has fused, the material is broken down in the body, says Seliktar, who was aided in his research by master’s student Liora Almany-Levi. Seliktar says Gelrin could also be used for sports injuries and fused vertebral disks, as well as reduce the need for hip replacements in the elderly by preventing degeneration of cartilage and stimulating regrowth in the joints.
Meanwhile, under Arafat’s stellar leadership, Palestinian scientists continue to develop new ways of scattering bone matter into crowds of women and children. |