Nature gave various animals, such as certain lizards and starfish, the ability to simply regrow damaged or even lost body parts. But while humans aren't nearly so lucky, researchers in the field of regenerative engineering are looking at various ways in which the human body can be assisted to repair and regrow various tissues and body parts after damage from disease or injury.
The complex science behind regenerative engineering encompasses a wide range of areas, including advanced materials, stem cell science, physics, developmental biology, clinical translation, and others. This convergence of multiple disciplines has led to numerous exciting advances, such as a miniature artificial human liver that has been successfully implanted in a mouse, and a gel that could help humans regenerate cartilage to repair damaged joints. These are just some of the promising new developments produced by the quickly growing area of engineering.
A meeting of the field's great minds
In an effort to spur new discoveries, the Regenerative Engineering Society has organized its second Rock Stars of Regenerative Engineering Conference in San Francisco on January 9. The field represents an incredible opportunities for young engineers entering academia and the workforce, and the conference is a great introduction to hear from some of regenerative engineering's most dynamic researchers and leaders. Keynote speakers will include Jeffrey Hubbell (University of Chicago), Cato Laurencin (University of Connecticut) Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic (Columbia University), and Jennifer Hartt Elisseeff (Johns Hopkins).
Special opportunity for students
If you're an engineering student pursuing studies in a related field, or perhaps don't yet know how you want to apply your engineering education, exposure to the interdisciplinary world of regenerative engineering could be a great way to open up new paths in your future. So that students can profit from this special opportunity, AIChE is offering student pricing of just $25. Check out more details below, and please join us in San Francisco on January 9.
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Planning to use information from this page on Regenerative Engineering as topics for student discussions on 1. Contemporary issues in Chemical Engineering, 2. Lifelong Learning and 3. Related Ethical Issues. Students will be asked to work in groups and present a report in written and oral formats to an audience including their peers. They will be evaluated by there peers.