Biotech on quest to market gel ‘bandage’

BOULDER — Researcher Peter Mariner shines light from a flashlight into a plastic syringe of clear liquid.

Within seconds, the liquid turns to a Jello-like substance that can be used to fill and help heal a deep wound.

The water-soluble substance is made of polyethelene glycol, which also is used in cosmetics, drugs and food additives in the United States.

The gel has specific biophysical and biochemical properties that support a patient’s tissue structure. As a wound heals, the gel is taken over by healthy cells and dissolves into the body over a two-week period, said Mariner, senior researcher of startup company…