By Dickson Omobola

Nigerian scientist, Dr Victor Ajisafe, has said biomaterial made from snail mucus can transform the treatment of cartilage damage and arthritis.

Ajisafe, now a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Texas at El Paso, UTEP, made the discovery while a PhD student at the Indian Institute of Science, IISc, Bangalore, India’s top-ranked university and 219th in the 2025 QS World University Rankings.

At IISc, he developed a novel sterilisation method that enabled the safe use of snail mucus for tissue engineering, a significant step toward producing natural biomaterials that can heal the body without causing harmful reactions.

In a paper published in the American Chemical Society’s ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, Ajisafe discovered that snail mucus has a biochemical composition strikingly similar to that of human synovial fluid, the natural lubricant of joints.

This finding suggests that snail mucus could play a pivotal role in regenerating damaged cartilage, offering hope to millions who suffer from arthritis and joint injuries.

He said: “We were astonished to see how closely snail mucus matches the composition of synovial fluid and reduced human cartilage cell death by 74 per cent. It is biocompatible, sustainable, and affordable, a perfect natural candidate for cartilage repair and arthritis therapy.”

Further findings, published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, revealed that snail mucus enhances the adhesion, survival, and proliferation of cartilage-forming cells, demonstrating its potential as a natural alternative to synthetic biomaterials in orthopedic repair.

Ajisafe’s findings span biomaterials, tissue engineering, and tumor microenvironment studies, reflecting a highly interdisciplinary approach that bridges fundamental science with translational medicine.

He said: “Nigeria and Africa have abundant biological resources that can be turned into high-value medical innovations. If governments and industries invest in biotechnology and research, we can create our own solutions and reduce dependence on foreign imports.”

Ajisafe’s work has earned him the Best Thesis Award for his PhD, the Best Oral Presenter Award at an international conference in Italy
Biomaterials and Novel Technologies for Healthcare,bBioMAH, and he was also a recipient of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) scholarship for his MSc, highlighting his exceptional academic record and international recognition.