Marie Donlon

A new biobased construction material derived from yeast has been developed by a team of researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. According to its developers, the yeast-derived material is 3D-printed and customized for use in architectural and interior design elements, currently manufactured using non-renewable or fossil-based materials like plaster, plastic or synthetic textiles.

A new type of wound care adhesive derived from tea leaves and inspired by how mussels cling to rocks has been developed by a team of researchers at Aston University. According to its developers, TEAGEL is comprised of tannin and lignin, which are the biopolymers that are abundant in tea leaves. Beyond its robust adhesive qualities, TEAGEL is expected to be sustainable and biocompatible. The team also suggests that the tea leaves also reportedly deliver antioxidant and antibacterial properties.

A new monitoring system that promises to save lives via the early detection of infections in brain-injury cases in intensive care units has been developed by researchers from the University of Waterloo. “This platform is designed to almost instantly capture trends and identify complications before they become much more serious,” the team noted.