{"id":282750,"date":"2025-11-12T11:01:50","date_gmt":"2025-11-12T10:01:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unipi.it\/news\/una-rivoluzionaria-capsula-4d-ingeribile-si-apre-come-un-cerotto-per-favorire-la-guarigione-delle-ulcere-intestinali\/"},"modified":"2025-11-26T16:36:41","modified_gmt":"2025-11-26T15:36:41","slug":"a-revolutionary-4d-ingestible-capsule-unfolds-like-a-patch-to-promote-the-healing-of-intestinal-ulcers","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.unipi.it\/en\/news\/a-revolutionary-4d-ingestible-capsule-unfolds-like-a-patch-to-promote-the-healing-of-intestinal-ulcers\/","title":{"rendered":"A revolutionary 4D ingestible capsule unfolds like a patch to promote the healing of intestinal ulcers"},"content":{"rendered":"

An intelligent capsule that unfolds on its own and adheres like a patch inside the intestine to promote ulcer healing is among the most promising results of research carried out at the Department of Information Engineering at the University of Pisa<\/strong>, where scientists are exploring new applications of four-dimensional (4D) printing for the medicine of the future.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

4D printing is a technology that enables the creation of three-dimensional structures capable of transforming over time in response to predefined stimuli such as hydration or temperature. Time thus becomes, in effect, the fourth dimension<\/strong>. In the case of the capsule, the researchers designed a self-deploying 3D-printed structure made of silk and gelatine \u2014 biocompatible materials<\/strong> that, once ingested, expand by absorbing intestinal fluids, transforming the device from a small cylinder into a flat sheet that adheres to the damaged tissue.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn this way,\u201d explains Carmelo De Maria, Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Pisa, \u201cthe capsule can cover a larger area of the bleeding intestinal mucosa and promote its regeneration<\/strong>. The final shape is achieved thanks to a specific spatial arrangement of the materials, which allows the structure to respond in a controlled way to the body\u2019s internal environment. The capsule is also equipped with a small 3D-printed, biocompatible antenna capable of signalling its presence inside the body after ingestion<\/strong>. Once the structure encounters the ulcer and unfolds, it can communicate externally until it degrades; otherwise, it is expelled naturally.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The capsule is the result of joint research by researchers in Pisa together with colleagues from the University of Florence, led by Prof. Antonino Morabito, and the University of Perugia, coordinated by Prof. Luca Valentini, within the PRIN 2022 Prometheus project (Grant 2022BZLTTK). In Pisa, in particular, the focus was on 4D printing<\/p>\n

The capsule is part of a broader line of research aimed at developing minimally invasive, self-healing and programmable devices capable of dynamically interacting with biological tissues and offering new perspectives for personalised medicine.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith 4D printing, we can design objects that change shape and function over time, just like living tissues,\u201d concludes De Maria. \u201cIt\u2019s a revolution that brings together materials engineering and life sciences.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The device is equipped with an antenna to track its position inside the body and is one of the latest applications of four-dimensional printing for the medicine of the future<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":281600,"menu_order":3,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"tag-notizie-persone":[2554],"tags_news":[1224,2309,2305],"categorie":[],"class_list":["post-282750","news","type-news","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-notizie-persone-carmelo-de-maria","tags_news-department-of-information-engineering","tags_news-health","tags_news-research-en"],"yoast_head":"\nA revolutionary 4D ingestible capsule unfolds like a patch to promote the healing of intestinal ulcers ~ UNIPI<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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