In this new study, we tested TrAPs across three complex settings: • Rat bone injuries: increased vascularisation • Human skin: improved tissue–dressing integration • Mouse skin wounds: significantly smaller wounds after 10 days The mechanism works across tissues and species!

We first showed this concept in cell culture in 2019: doi.org/10.1002/adma.2018063… But a real wound is far more challenging: enzyme-rich, crowded with competing proteins and mechanically dynamic. Could this approach survive in living, repairing tissue…and still influence healing?

We used our TrAPs: Traction force-Activated Payloads, DNA-based nanotech attached to a biomaterial scaffold. They capture specific growth factors and hold them inactive. When a repair cell grips the material and pulls, TrAPs unfold and release proteins beside that cell.

What if a wound dressing could let the body become its own pharmacy? Our new Nature Materials paper shows TrAPs harvest healing proteins and release them when cells pull, helping mouse wounds close faster and accelerating repair in human skin. doi.org/10.1038/s41563-026-0… A thread:

Congrats, Magdalene, on winning the @FallingWallsLab Singapore pitch competition! Next stop- world finals in Berlin! Mag pitched her incredible @imperialcollege PhD research, developing our TrAP technology into a disruptive tissue repair and wound healing platform! So excited!

Congrats @ImperialBioeng, @AlmquistLab, & @Royalcom1851 PhD student Mag, receipient of 2024 June Wilson award by @LonMatSoc chapter of @iom3! Awarded to female student/early-stage scientist in London who shows excellence in materials science! Get ready for her upcoming paper...

Having fun discussing cool bioeng projects at #ISEF2024! Also fun meeting up with @almquistlab alum Julia to increase @ImperialBioeng representation! Are you at ISEF and want to learn about studying bioengineering at Imperial? I'm here through Friday- let's chat! #RegeneronISEF

Delicious dinner before sending @ImperialBioeng PhD student Mag off to @coledeforest lab as a visiting researcher! Excited to see what happens w/ TrAPs over next 4 months! Thanks @Royalcom1851 for support! And to think, she just got back from a research visit to @QuinnLab_UofA...

Getting excited!

Excited to welcome inaugural class of @ImperialBioeng Biomedical Technology Ventures students! As Director of the program, looking forward to an exciting 3yrs preparing them to help shape the future of #MedTech! Degree sound interesting to you? Info here: imperial.ac.uk/study/courses…

For MAPE, both heavily doped n-type and p-type silicon inhibit MAPE, which differs from other etching methods. The paper explores how aspects of the silicon surface and gold nanoparticles give rise to this behaviour. We also use atom probe to study the gold catalyst behaviour.