University of Ottawa Heart Institute scientists successfully develop novel biomaterial to help grow new blood vessels

"Researchers at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute have successfully grown blood vessels in damaged muscle tissue by injecting a biomaterial developed specifically to attract new cells and support regeneration. Blood vessel regeneration suggests that the body's own cells might one day be used to repair heart damage and restore function. Details of the regeneration process were published online in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. A UOHI cardiac surgery research team led by Erik Suuronen, PhD, in collaboration with Dr. Marc Ruel, showed that thigh muscles with ischemia (lack of blood flow and oxygen) grew a significant number of new blood vessels when treated with the biomaterial"