Biomimetics is the art of taking inspiration from nature to design innovative solutions to human problems. This scientific discipline is explored from different branches of research, such as biology or engineering. Within the framework of the Live Talks of CosmoCaixa, the researcher of the Institute of Materials Science of Barcelona, Judith Guasch, explained how science is inspired by nature in order to advance.

In a conversation with science journalist Valentina Raffio, the scientist related, among other things, how she has developed a technology that mimics the lymph nodes to help face cancer. These are hydrogels that make it possible to cultivate T cells, cells of the immune system, which in the future could be used as immunotherapy against this disease. Retrieve the full talk here.

More information:

• Biomimética, el arte de inspirarse en la naturaleza para hacer ciencia (CosmoCaixa, 2020)
• Judith Guasch interviewed in Agencia SINC for the 3D hydrogels used in cancer immunotherapy (ICMAB, Nov 2020) 
• Judith Guasch talks about T cell growth-inducing 3D hydrogels on RNE (Sept 2020)  
• New 3D printed hydrogels for T-cell growth to be used in cancer immunotherapy (August 2020)
• CCL21-loaded 3D hydrogels for T cell expansion and differentiation published in Biomaterials (2020)
• CosmoCaixa Live Talks cycle