Researchers Use Geckos to Heal Hearts

It's a lab like no other, and some day what's happening inside it could change or even save your life. Dr. Jeffrey Karp is an investigator in the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology program.  He says the feet of a gecko are inspiring a nanoscale adhesive that can almost serve like duct tape or band aid, but for internal procedures. He say is could  be used after a variety of surgeries to prevent leaking or bleeding and to heal hearts after a heart attack. 

According to Dr. Karp, chemists, material scientists and immunologists are involved in the research. They've created a needle with a clutch, inspired by oil drilling. It's designed to never overshoot its mark. The researchers have also developed a gel that could be injected into an arthritic joint to attack pain. It would only activate in the presence of inflammation.

Dr. Karp is one of millions of people who suffer from nickel allergy, so he's helped the team come up with a nanoparticle cream. He says when you rub it into your skin, it will capture the nickel and prevent it from penetrating the skin. He believes that the the nickel allergy cream could be available to the public within a few years. Some of the other devices and technologies could take a lot longer to hit the market