Final answer:
The GLIADEL wafer was not invented by Mark Humayun or Gavriel Iddan. It was developed by Henry Brem and his team. The wafer is used to treat high-grade malignant glioma by delivering chemotherapy directly to brain tissue.
Step-by-step explanation:
The GLIADEL wafer was developed by a team of researchers including Dr. Henry Brem, Dr. Robert Langer, Dr. Nicholas Bambakidis, and Dr. Betty Tyler. The wafer technology emerged from the collaborative efforts of these experts in neurosurgery and biomedical engineering.
GLIADEL is used as an adjunct to surgery for patients with high-grade malignant glioma. It is a small, biodegradable wafer that is placed in the brain after a tumor has been removed. The wafer slowly releases the chemotherapeutic agent carmustine to the surrounding brain tissue, directly targeting residual tumor cells.
Mark Humayun and Gavriel Iddan, mentioned in the question, are renowned inventors in their respective fields but were not involved in the invention of the GLIADEL wafer. Mark Humayun is known for his work in ophthalmology and biomedical engineering, while Gavriel Iddan is credited with inventing the capsule endoscopy.