Ali Tamayol helps develop microscopic membrane to fight gum disease

"Pocket Science," a regular feature presented by University Communications, spotlighted research by Ali Tamayol, assistant professor of mechanical and materials engineering, and a team of colleagues from UCLA and Harvard Medical School.

Tamayol's team has developed a flexible, biodegradable membrane made from a polymer containing nanoparticles of zinc oxide that could help combat periodontitis, a form of gum disease that affects more than 70 percent of adults aged 65 and older.