Forget bandages and silicon dressings: nanogels might be the future of wound healing. Scientists from Singapores Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology have designed short strings of peptides that self-assemble into a fibrous gel when water is added. The nanogels were shown to heal burns more quickly compared to conventional wound dressings. Accelerated wound healing is crucial to minimizing the risk of infection and scarring, both of which are common problems faced by burn patients. These gels may someday be used as a topical gel, spray, membrane patch or long-lasting dry-powder formulation.