A breakthrough technology has been invented that scientists claim will help to heal numerous wounds including damaged blood vessels, nerves and organs. Tissue Nanotransfection (TNT) transforms skin cells into a special type of cell that can be used to repair damaged tissues. It does this by injecting the skin cells with a microchip that contains genetic code. This technology allows skin cells to be converted into elements of any part of the body, and these can then be applied to the damaged area. As it is the body’s own cells that are being converted, the immune system does not attack them so there is no need for immune suppressant drugs.

The process is non-invasive and can be carried out either in hospitals or in a doctor’s office. The chip is placed on the skin and a painless electrical current is applied. According to the researchers, the chip then begins to create new specialised cells in less than a second. This nanotechnology also has the potential to be used to grow cells which could be injected into the body to treat conditions such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, nerve damage and strokes. Studies on mice and pigs at Ohio State University (US) boasted a 98% success rate and the first trials on humans began in 2019.