This week, researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IIT-GN) have been honoured with the Vikram Sarabhai Young Scientist Award 2026 for developing a next-generation injectable hydrogel designed to improve minimally invasive medical procedures — particularly the removal of gastrointestinal growths such as colorectal polyps.
🧪 What’s the Problem?
In current endoscopic practice, doctors often inject fluids (like saline) beneath intestinal growths to create a “cushion” that makes it easier and safer to remove them. However, these traditional fluids are quickly absorbed by the body, requiring repeated injections and increasing the chance of complications like internal bleeding or tissue damage.
This issue is especially relevant for conditions like colorectal polyps, which can develop into cancer if not detected and removed early. Safer and more efficient ways to manage them could lead to better outcomes and fewer complicationsfor patients around the world.
🧬 A Smart Solution: The Hydrogel
Enter the hydrogel developed by Harshil Dave, a PhD scholar in Biological Sciences and Engineering at IIT Gandhinagar. His research — recognised with a prestigious award — centres on a material that behaves like a liquid during injection but rapidly transforms into a semi-solid gel once inside the body.
This shear-thinning behaviour (fluid under pressure, solid after) makes the hydrogel ideal for use in minimally invasive procedures. Unlike saline, it stays in place to provide a stable cushion under the tissue being treated, helping surgeons lift and remove polyps more precisely and with fewer complications.
Essentially, this material bridges biomaterials engineering and clinical medicine in a way that directly responds to a real surgical challenge — a hallmark of impactful translational research.
🧠 Beyond Polyp Removal: Healing and Protection
What makes this hydrogel especially intriguing is its multifaceted biomedical potential.
In early laboratory studies, the platform has also shown:
- Promising roles in tissue regeneration and wound healing, by creating a protective, moist environment that supports cell recovery.
- Antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, which could reduce the risk of infection and improve healing after surgery.
This suggests that — beyond colorectal procedures — the hydrogel could contribute to gentler, safer treatments and better recoveries in a range of health contexts where tissue integrity and healing are critical.
🔄 A Step Toward Clinical Use
While the hydrogel has shown success in animal model studies, the next major goal for Dave and his collaborators is to advance the technology toward clinical trials and real-world medical use.
The research team emphasises that interdisciplinary collaboration — combining engineering, life sciences, and clinical perspectives — was key to developing this material. It exemplifies how creative science in regions often underrepresented in global media can generate solutions with broad, meaningful impact.
🌍 Why This Matters
This breakthrough sits at the intersection of biomedical engineering, clinical need, and patient wellbeing. It illustrates how thoughtful material design — informed by real procedural challenges — can lead to innovations that actually change medical practice.
Notably, this work comes from a PhD student in India, showcasing that cutting-edge healthcare research isn’t confined to Western institutions — great science is truly global. It’s the type of advance that fits perfectly with the mission of Breakthroughs Beyond Borders: highlighting real, positive science from diverse places and people.
📖 References
- Hydrogel designed to assist in minimally invasive removal of gastrointestinal growths recognised with Vikram Sarabhai Young Scientist Award 2026 for its innovative semi-solid behaviour and reduced surgical complications.
- Hydrogel platform showing promise in tissue regeneration, wound healing, and biomedical applications due to moisture support and antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.
- Abstract details of hydrogel for endoscopic catheter delivery demonstrate easy injectability and stability in animal studies.