Russia According to the Sechenov University located in the capital of Moscow Scientists has devised a method of bioprinting the eardrum with the help of living cells and a protein called collagen.
Researcher Polina Bukimulina said in a statement that thanks to the new technique, hearing-impaired people would be able to ‘hear again within a month’.
Previously, the scientists of Harvard University in the United States brought to the world the method of restoring hearing in three months.
In order to restore the eardrum, scientists decided to create a new and more complex tissue, said Polina Bukmolina, a junior researcher at the Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Russia’s state news agency Ria Novosti reported.
The scientists used prefabricated bioluminescence, which included hydrogels capable of interacting with living cells and 3D cells, as the basis, he said.
According to Prof. Valery Svetshkin, Director of the Clinic for Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases of Clinical Hospital No. 1 of Sechinov University, deafness and hearing loss are a common problem and a major challenge for specialists.
He explained that the problem of eardrum hole affects millions of people worldwide.
This leads to hearing loss and therefore the ability to perform occupational and social routines and quality of life.
He said that the new technology makes the process of helping people with deafness much easier, thanks to which the operation process will be done many times faster than the usual, which will take 40 minutes.
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The university press service added that experiments are currently being conducted on a type of mice because their ear membranes are very similar to humans.
Later there will be a clinical study, after which it will be the turn to cure deafness in humans.
According to Harvard University’s website, the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) and Massachusetts Eye and Ear (MEE) developed a device called a phonograft with the help of a 3D printer. It can be used to restore the affected skin.
If successful in clinical testing, phonograft technology could be used commercially to reduce pain, fluid leakage and hearing loss caused by perforations in the eardrum.
Millions of people around the world are affected by eardrum disease.
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**Interview with Polina Bukimulina on Innovative Bioprinting of Eardrums**
**Editor:** Welcome, Polina Bukimulina, junior researcher at the Institute of Regenerative Medicine at Sechenov University. Thank you for joining us today to discuss your groundbreaking work on bioprinting eardrums.
**Polina Bukimulina:** Thank you for having me! It’s a pleasure to share our research.
**Editor:** Your team has developed a method for bioprinting eardrums using living cells and collagen. Can you explain how this innovative technique works?
**Polina Bukimulina:** Absolutely. We create a more complex tissue structure by using prefabricated bioluminescence that incorporates hydrogels. These hydrogels can interact with living cells and are arranged in a three-dimensional matrix, which mimics the natural environment of the eardrum. This allows us to restore damaged eardrums effectively.
**Editor:** That’s fascinating! You mentioned that this new approach could help hearing-impaired individuals regain their hearing within a month. How does that compare to similar research from other institutions, like Harvard University?
**Polina Bukimulina:** Yes, previous methods, such as those developed by Harvard researchers, typically take about three months for restoration. Our innovative approach not only speeds up the process but also aims to enhance the overall effectiveness of eardrum repair. We are optimistic about the potential improvements this could bring to patients’ lives.
**Editor:** That’s remarkable progress. Can you shed some light on the broader implications of this research?
**Polina Bukimulina:** Certainly. Deafness and hearing loss are significant challenges that affect millions worldwide. Restoring eardrums could profoundly impact people’s ability to work and engage socially. Our goal is to provide a feasible solution to this common problem and improve the quality of life for many.
**Editor:** What are the next steps for your research team as you move forward with this technology?
**Polina Bukimulina:** Our next steps include conducting further experiments to refine our technique and validate its effectiveness in clinical settings. We also aim to collaborate with medical institutions to begin trials with patients who suffer from eardrum damage.
**Editor:** Thank you for sharing your insights, Polina. It’s inspiring to hear about the potential of your research to change lives. We look forward to following your progress!
**Polina Bukimulina:** Thank you! We appreciate your interest and support in our work.
