Reviewed by Lexie CornerApr 10 2025
Researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) are developing a new class of medical adhesives by combining hydrogels and glue-like polymers. These adhesives aim to securely and reliably bond human tissues to medical devices implanted in the body, such as pacemakers, insulin pumps, and artificial joints.
Researchers in Jiawei Yang's laboratory display a stretchy hydrogel and vial of liquid polymer. Image Credit: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
The National Science Foundation has awarded Jiawei Yang, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering and affiliated with the Department of Biomedical Engineering, a $644,659 CAREER Award. The award will support Yang’s development of bioadhesives that meet the mechanical requirements of biological tissues while providing strong and stable adhesion.
Medical devices and human beings are made of very different materials. Medical devices are mostly made of hard materials, such as metal or plastic. Human tissue is generally soft and wet. There is a critical need for better adhesives that are soft and wet, like human tissues, to knit together tissues and devices. Better adhesives can work better with the body and would significantly improve healthcare and quality of life for patients.
Jiawei Yang, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Yang's project will focus on creating two-layered bioadhesives, consisting of a clear liquid adhesive layer and a transparent solid hydrogel layer. He aims to develop a modular system of hydrogels and polymers that can bond with human tissues, tailored to the mechanical properties of target tissues. These hydrogel-polymer bioadhesives will work together to provide quick, robust, stable, and deep adhesion.
Yang will collaborate with Dr. Steffen Pabel at Massachusetts General Hospital over the next five years to develop a drug-loaded hydrogel heart patch to treat atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat. Additionally, Yang will develop research and education initiatives related to hydrogels for both college students and children. Yang will be working with Jiatai Sun, a Ph.D. student, on this project.
There are many potential applications for new bioadhesives. They might be used to pair with electrodes that are implanted in the body to treat Parkinson’s disease or manage and treat heart failure. They also could be combined with therapeutic agents to heal damaged cartilage or generate healthy new tissues.
Jiawei Yang, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Materials known as hydrogels are composed of networks of large molecules called polymers and water. Hydrogels are commonly used in absorbent materials such as diapers, contact lenses, and wound dressings.
In emergency medicine, hydrogel bioadhesives are typically used to seal tissues, close wounds, and temporarily patch injuries. However, according to Yang, they are not suitable for long-term use in the body, particularly in implants, due to their inability to match the mechanical characteristics of target tissues and provide strong, stable adhesion.
Mechanical properties of human tissues vary significantly. Brain tissue is extremely soft and needs an extremely soft hydrogel, while a hydrogel used with cartilage needs to be stiff enough to flex and bear weight. One size does not fit all when it comes to bioadhesives.
Jiawei Yang, Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
CAREER Awards support early-career researchers at colleges and universities as they begin their professional careers and lay the groundwork for future research. After earning his Ph.D. from Harvard University and working as a research fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Boston Children's Hospital, Yang joined the WPI faculty in 2024.