Hydrogels and MRI: meet three biomedical engineers reshaping health care

Key Points:

• Xinyu Dong at the National University of Singapore has advanced hydrogel technology by using a modified freeze casting method that enhances toughness, stretchability, and electrical conductivity, enabling applications in wearable electronics and soft robotics.
• Dong’s innovative organohydrogels, created by replacing ice with a chilled organic solvent containing salt ions, mimic skin properties and have been demonstrated in a hydrogel-based electronic skin capable of monitoring vital signs such as temperature, pulse, and sweat concentration.
• James Eills at the Jülich Research Centre focuses on improving magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signals through hyperpolarization techniques, particularly using parahydrogen-induced polarization (PHIP) to enhance metabolic imaging without the complexity and cost of traditional methods.
• Eills’ research aims to overcome PHIP’s limitation to hydrogenation-friendly molecules by developing new hyperpolarization approaches and has introduced atomic sensors using laser light to detect subtle magnetic changes, improving the sensitivity of nuclear spin measurements.
• Both researchers combine fundamental physical and materials science with biomedical engineering to create personalized and improved diagnostic and monitoring technologies, with Dong targeting programmable hydrogels for tissue-specific medical applications and Eills enhancing MRI capabilities for better disease monitoring.