Photo ©iStock/Alona SIniehina(09/03/2026) Philadelphia VA researchers developed a new hydrogel that could improve wound healing by making it easier to control the release of medication within the body. Hyaluronic acid-based hydrogels can promote soft tissue wound healing by delivering medications and cell therapies directly into the injury, but it is difficult to control the speed at which these treatments are released in the body. The researchers attached a protein called streptavidin to a hydrogel, which binds to the vitamin biotin and allows for the encapsulation and controlled release of medication. This technique allowed researchers to tailor the speed of medication release and to deliver different treatments during separate stages of healing. Streptavidin-infused hydrogels are a promising new platform to promote tissue regeneration and improve wound healing. (Acta Biometerialia, September 2026)
