The self-healing gel is made from bacteria-killing viruses. Source: J.D. Howell/McMaster UniversityA hydrogel that incorporates billions of bacteriophages forms a material that is self-healing and also offers antibacterial services for medical and environmental applications. Researchers at McMaster University, Canada, cultivated 300 trillion of the virus-killing organisms into one milliliter of gel.

The bacteriophages self-assemble with the aid of a chemical binder, forming a new solid material that may prove useful in combating the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The phase hydrogels might also serve as antibacterial coatings for implants and artificial joints, and as sterile growth scaffold for human tissue.

The potential to synthesize hydrogels with tunable bioactivity could also lead to formulations that target specific environmental pollutants, such as plastics.