Biomaterials

The new year opened with a bang for the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI), with the long-awaited completion of TIBI’s brand-new 50,000 square foot facility in Woodland Hills. TIBI scientists and staff made the big move to the new building at the end of February 2023.

In addition to the ample space and unique design features of the new building, the facility houses expansive laboratory work areas, fully arrayed with scientific equipment, as well as accommodations for meetings and seminars. This will allow for greater research capabilities and growth of the institute.

The Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI) is pleased to announce the summer junior biomedical internship program for 2024. The Institute will continue to offer summer internships for college undergraduate students interested in biomedical research or entrepreneurship. 

The institute is comprised of interdisciplinary research scientists, as well as in-house innovators, who work quickly to translate their technology to real-world applications. The internship program aims to expose students to multiple fields of research to empower them to think creatively and to inspire them to explore and pursue STEM career paths. 

(LOS ANGELES) – The National Academy of Inventors (NAI) has named Ali Khademhosseini, Ph.D., Director and CEO of the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI), as a 2023 National Academy of Inventors Fellow. This distinctive honor is the highest professional award that is exclusively bestowed upon inventors. The Academy has chosen to honor him for his achievements and contributions to the innovation ecosystem, which vastly influences science, society, and the global economy. Dr. Khademhosseini will be formally recognized at the NAI thirteenth annual meeting on June 18, 2024, where he will be presented with a medal by a senior official from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

A breakthrough gel developed for sealing and healing challenging gastrointestinal tract-to-skin connections has shown promising results in recent studies.

 (LOS ANGELES) – In a major advancement in medical technology, researchers at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation have developed an adhesive gel, offering a revolutionary treatment for gastrointestinal leaks, a condition clinically known as enterocutaneous fistulas. This development marks a significant milestone in addressing a challenging medical condition that has long plagued patients and clinicians.

More effective tumor cell death enabled via controlled, sustained delivery of chemo and immunotherapeutic drugs

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Scientists from the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI) have developed an injectable or catheter-administered hydrogel with enhanced capabilities for treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a deadly form of liver cancer. As described in their recent publication in Advanced Functional Materials, this drug-eluting hydrogel can provide sustained, pH-dependent drug co-delivery and has capabilities for promoting anti-tumor immune responses. This reduces tumor cell proliferation and growth and offers a more efficient means of enabling tumor cell death.

Scientists incorporate electrodes with beneficial features into customizable organ-on-a chip device

 (LOS ANGELES) – The Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI) has developed a novel organ-on-a-chip device for measuring electrical resistance across endothelial barriers. This chip had carbon-based, screen-printed electrodes incorporated into a multi-layered, microfluidic chip fabricated by a simple and cost-effective method.

(LOS ANGELES) – August 25, 2023 -An advancement in 3D bioprinting of native-like skeletal muscle tissues has been made by scientists at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI).

(LOS ANGELES) – September 22, 2023 - The Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI) welcomes Zhaohui Wang, Ph.D., as its new Assistant Professor and Director of Precision Medicine. His main research focus is on discovering innovative bioengineering solutions to combat cancer.

(LOS ANGELES) – August 15, 2023 -A team of researchers from the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI) and the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) has been awarded a multimillion-dollar grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop a superior, multi-pronged wound treatment for diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs).

(LOS ANGELES)– Scientists from theTerasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI) have developed a nanoengineered bioink with improved bonding and cross-linking capabilities for 3D bioprinting of tumor models. A keycomponent of this bioink is Laponite, highly charged, disk-shaped, crystalline nanoparticles. As explained in their recent paper inBiofabrication,these nanoparticles were shown to enhance the biological signaling that occurs in the tumor microenvironment so that moreaccurate tumor models can be created for study and anti-tumor drug development. 

(LOS ANGELES) – TheTerasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI),is pleased towelcome six new members to its Leadership Board. The TIBI Leadership Board iscomprised of distinguishedindividuals who willutilize theirexpertise topromote key initiatives and toprovide valuable guidance on research and innovation strategies. 

Scientists Develop Multifunctional Device Which Combines Hemorrhage Treatment and Monitoring Capabilities

(LOS ANGELES) – June 28, 2023 - A multi-faceted device for effectively treating deep, non-compressible, and irregularly-shaped wounds has been engineered by the scientists at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI). As outlined in their recent paper in Advanced Science, the device provides rapid hemorrhage management, has minimal inflammatory effects, and provides infection control. It also has tunable biodegradation rates, making it usable for both internal and external use, and features sensing capabilities for long-term hemorrhage monitoring. This versatile device is highly beneficial for timely alerts and control of bleeding from surgical wounds, traumatic injuries, and critical illnesses.

Company introduces unique approach to sustainably produced meat

(LOS ANGELES) - The Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI) is excited to unveil their first spinout company, Omeat, an organization dedicated to technology for the sustainable production of beef and other meats on a global scale. Omeat produces cultivated meat, using cost-effective, humane, and efficient methods to collect regenerative factors for cell cultivation from healthy, living cows.

(WOODLAND HILLS, CA) – The Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI), a non-profit research organization devoted to developing bioengineered systems, devices, and technology for biomedical applications, held a Grand Opening celebration at their newest research facility in Woodland Hills. The event drew almost 100 guests, which included local dignitaries, members of the Terasaki family, TIBI faculty and staff, and members of the building’s design and construction teams.

(LOS ANGELES) -Scientists from theTerasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI)have chemically modified titanium dioxide nanoparticles torender them with antimicrobialpowers when exposed toboth darkness andvisible light. Thesecompositenanoparticles, studded with selected chemicals,demonstrated antibacterial and antifungaleffectiveness, while serving as models to elucidate the pathways by which these effects are achieved.Thisopens enticing possibilitiesfor green technologyapplications, such aswastewater treatment,air purification, or preservation of food. 

(LOS ANGELES) – Dr. Ali Khademhosseini has been awarded the 2023 Technology Innovation and Development Award from the Society of Biomaterials (SFB). The award honors those whose research, scientific innovations, and leadership are used to develop novel products or technologies to benefit patients.

Improvements made possible with strategic chemical modifications

(LOS ANGELES) – As part of a collaborative effort, scientists from the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI) have employed inventive chemistry to produce an injectable biomaterial with significantly improved adhesive strength, stretchability, and toughness. This chemically modified, gelatin-based hydrogel had attractive features, including rapid gelation at room temperature and tunable levels of adhesion. This custom-engineered biomaterial is ideal as a surgical wound sealant, with its controllable adhesion and injectability and its superior adherence to a variety of tissue and organ surfaces.

(LOS ANGELES) – Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), is highly aggressive and lethal. It is the most prevalent type of pancreatic cancer, making up 90% of cases; it also has a high rate of metastasis, with an average five-year survival rate of less than 10%.

(LOS ANGELES) – As outlined in their recent publication in Biomaterials Science,researchers from the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation, (TIBI), have developed an injectable, temperature sensitive, shear-thinning hydrogel (T-STH) hemostat that works rapidly at body temperature to stop bleeding from a wound. This technology allows anyone to treat victims of traumatic injuries immediately and effectively. Once patient stability is achieved, the T-STH hemostat can easily be removed using a cold saline wash without leaving residues or causing re-bleeding of the wound. The saline wash also allows for removal of any debris lodged into the wound.

(LOS ANGELES) – A collaborative team, which includes scientists from the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation (TIBI), University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), and Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) has elucidated some key points on how the generation of cartilage in the joints is facilitated and how alternative bone formation can be avoided. Their findings could pave the way for designing more strategically engineered transplants for a less costly, more effective means of treating cartilage damage in the joints than current methods.