While deep-freezing techniques exist to preserve organs for longer period of times (cryopreservation), they get damaged when being reheated. The UM researchers believe they've solved this problem thanks to tiny microscopic particles.

The process of vitrification involves cooling biological materials to temperatures of between -160 and -196 degrees Celsius. The rapid cooling of tissue to these temperatures along with a cryopreservative causes the tissue to enter a glass-like state without damaging ice forming. While this has proven a successful preservation method, when it's time to bring the tissue out of the deep-freeze, current convection-based warming techniques cause it to heat unevenly, which makes different parts of the tissue expand at different rates and can lead to tears and cracks.