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 – Researcher at Sechenov University**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Polina. Can you start by explaining the significance of your team’s recent breakthrough in bioprinting the eardrum?
**Polina Bukimulina:** Thank you for having me. Our team at Sechenov University has developed a novel technique that allows us to bioprint the eardrum using living cells and collagen. This breakthrough is significant because it has the potential to restore hearing in individuals who are hearing-impaired, and we estimate that they could regain their hearing within a month of the treatment, which is much faster than previous methods.
**Interviewer:** That’s impressive! Could you elaborate on how your method compares to the earlier technique developed by scientists at Harvard?
**Polina Bukimulina:** Certainly! The Harvard method was groundbreaking in its own right, taking about three months for hearing restoration. Our approach not only accelerates the process but also focuses on creating a more complex and functional eardrum tissue. By using prefabricated bioluminescent materials and hydrogels, we enhance the integration of living cells, which is crucial for effective tissue engineering.
**Interviewer:** What inspired your team to focus on the eardrum and its restoration?
**Polina Bukimulina:** The eardrum is a critical component for hearing, and we noticed that issues like eardrum perforation affect millions worldwide. This leads to considerable hearing loss, impacting not just social interactions but also occupational capabilities. Addressing this challenge could significantly improve the quality of life for many individuals.
**Interviewer:** Professor Valery Svetshkin mentioned that deafness and hearing loss are common challenges for specialists. How do you envision your research impacting the field of otolaryngology?
**Polina Bukimulina:** Our research could pave the way for new treatment protocols in otolaryngology. By significantly shortening recovery time and improving outcomes for eardrum repair, we could enhance the standard of care for patients with hearing loss. We’re optimistic that our findings will inspire further research and clinical applications.
**Interviewer:** What are the next steps for your team moving forward with this research?
**Polina Bukimulina:** The next steps involve further refining our bioprinting techniques and conducting clinical trials to ensure safety and effectiveness. We also aim to engage with other researchers and medical professionals to explore broader applications of this technology in regenerative medicine.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Polina, for sharing your insights. This exciting development holds great promise for many people!
**Polina Bukimulina:** Thank you for having me! I’m excited about the future of this research and its potential to change lives.