Tokyo Metropolitan University researchers have developed nanostructured alumina surfaces that are strongly antibacterial and can be used to culture cells. These surfaces have unprecedented resistance to bacterial growth and do not hamper cell cultures. The technology promises to have a significant impact on regenerative medicine by enabling the production of high-quality cell cultures without bacterial contamination and without the use of antibiotics. The surfaces are inspired by the naturally formed nanostructure on the wings of cicadas and dragonflies, which resist bacterial contamination by damaging the cell membrane of bacterial cells. The researchers suggest that their new substrates could revolutionize the scale at which patients may be treated and how scientific experiments are conducted.