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South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã State University's Solaiman Tarafder is developing a new bioadhesive that not only holds tissue together, but also actively encourages stronger, faster healing.

Athletes, particularly athletes in highly physical sports, are prone to tendon injuries. Tendon tears, like rotator cuff tears and Achilles tendon ruptures, are especially debilitating. These injuries almost always require surgery and months of recovery.

South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã State University's Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering is finding a better way to heal these injuries by taking inspiration from the sea. Mussels, clam-like mollusks found in both saltwater and freshwater habitats, are extremely adept at clinging to objects underwater. Their secret? Sticky proteins they excrete from feet.

Solaiman Tarafder is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering and is leveraging the unique properties of the excreted proteins to create a bioglue adhesive from a compound known as hydrophilic polydopamine. When applied to tendon injuries, Tarafder believes it can promote optimal tendon healing without the need for surgery.

"This glue is safe for living cells and creates a stronger bond between torn tissues," Tarafder said.

Tarafder and his team of researchers have been developing the "smart glue" for a few years. Early lab tests have already shown that it can dramatically increase tissue strength compared to traditional fibrin glues. Now, the team is looking to combine the strengths of the bioglue with a specific rehab program of stretching and loading. Tarafder believes the right combination will allow the body to produce strong, organized tissues instead of scar tissue, the traditional type of tissue that occurs during tendon rehabilitation.

"Tendon cells listen to mechanical cues, and the right amount of stretching and loading helps tendons rebuild themselves," Tarafder said. "By giving these cells the right signals, we can encourage them to repair themselves better."

In this project, funded through a Competitive Research Grant award from the South à£à£Ö±²¥Ðã Board of Regents, Tarafder and his team will test how different stretching regimens affect healing, when combined with the hydrophilic polydopamine-based glue.

"We aim to find the sweet spot that maximizes recovery," Tarafder said.

While the project is specifically aimed at tendon recovery, Tarafder sees applications in ligament tears, like medial collateral ligament (MCL) and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears and potentially even cartilage healing and bone repair. For athletes, this could mean fewer repeat injuries, quicker recovery times and better long-term outcomes.

"This research is opening new doors in regenerative medicine and has the potential to improve the quality of life for millions of people affected by tendon injuries," Tarafder said. "The ultimate goal is to provide doctors with better tools and evidence-based rehab strategies that make healing faster and stronger."