The Clay That Could Change How We Take Our Meds

A Mexican research team discovers a novel way to improve drug delivery using synthetic clay called laponite. This innovation offers controlled release, low cost, and could even replace injections.

The Clay That Could Change How We Take Our Meds
A simple, clay-based solution could revolutionize how we administer medications.

Dr. María Josefa Bernad Bernad has a problem most scientists would envy: she's got too much innovation on her hands. At the Faculty of Chemistry at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), her team is overflowing with ideas centered around a seemingly unremarkable material – the synthetic clay called laponite.

Don't let laponite's humble origins fool you. This unassuming clay is hiding a superhero alter-ego. Dr. Bernad Bernad's research reveals it can transform the way we deliver drugs. It's a discovery that caught the eye of the National Chamber of the Pharmaceutical Industry (CANIFARMA), earning her team a 2023 Award honorable mention for technological research. What makes laponite so special? Let's break it down.