THIS is a hydrogel that could be used as a one-off intervention to treat Parkinson’s disease. Researchers from the Australian National University, in collaboration with the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, have developed the substance made up of amino acids. It can be injected into the brain to help repair damage. The hydrogel transforms into a liquid when shaken, making it easier to be inserted through a small capillary. It then reverts to its solid form, filling up irregularly shaped voids and helping safely transport replacement stem cells to injured parts of the brain. The gel could also be used to help people who have suffered from other neurological conditions such as strokes. Professor David Nisbet is one of the researchers from the project. “The real game changer here is, it’s sort of a one-off intervention. So foreseeably, a patient would come to the hospital presenting with Parkinson’s disease and they would just need this sort of one intervention to potentially alleviate many of their symptoms for years to come.” The product has only been tested on animals so far. Nisbet hopes clinical trials will start in the next five years, after it has proven safe for human use. “But they’re also relatively cheap, they’re very sophisticated but they are relatively cheap to produce and the important part of that is we can actually scale them up to mass production relatively easily.” Parkinson’s is a brain disorder that causes shaking and difficulty with walking, balance and coordination, and worsens over time. (SD-Agencies) | 