University College London - The main attraction

A new method to increase the capacity of cells to repair injured tissue has been hailed a success by scientists at University College London. The technique uses microscopic magnetic particles tagged to endothelial progenitor cells - known to be important in vascular healing processes. Despite magnets previously being used to carry out similar functions, it is the first time cells have been targeted using a method directly applicable to clinical practices. The cross-disciplinary research, published in The Journal of the American College of Cardiology: Cardiovascular Interventions, suggests human trials could be in place within three to five years.