BCIwiki (bciwiki.com) — Researchers at the University of Washington have developed mechanically compliant, precision-porous brain implants that reduce the foreign body reaction and guide regeneration, according to a preprint posted on bioRxiv on July 29, 2026. The study has not yet been peer reviewed.
The team implanted poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-glycerol methacrylate) (pHEMA/GMA) hydrogel scaffolds of varying stiffness and pore size into rat brains for 4 weeks. Compared with solid hydrogel rods, precision-templated scaffolds (PTS) showed reduced astrocyte encapsulation; softer hydrogels reduced pro-inflammatory macrophage polarization versus stiffer ones; and new blood vessels, neuronal markers, and neurogenesis were observed within the pores.
The researchers suggest that soft, precision-porous hydrogels could provide a strategy for mitigating glial scarring and improving regeneration in implant-based central nervous system treatments. The study was conducted by Dryg, I., Zhen, L., Darrow, R., et al.