Polymers and People (Japanese version, 2003)

Summary: In 1920, a German scientist first proposed the correct structure for polymers as long chain molecules of many identical or similar chemical units. While testing this theory, another scientist produced a very successful polymer, nylon. As new polymers were developed and applications for polymers were being found, researchers started to investigate their applications in medicine. Polyglycolic acid (PGA) was such a polymer, used in surgical sutures by surgeons. Scientists also found a method to implant drug-bearing polymer wafers after brain surgery, where the polymers could slowly release drugs right where they were needed. Polymer scaffolds were also developed to grow cells; this was a big improvement over growing cells in flat plates which prevented them from producing the normal array of proteins.