(501c) Progress in Tissue Engineering

Tissue engineering is an interdisciplinary field that marries the principles of engineering and the life sciences toward the development of biological substitutes that can restore or improve tissue function.  Typically, tissue engineers use advanced biomaterials that serve as scaffolds for the delivery of cells, and the scaffolds further provide cues and signals to the cells to guide their re-growth or healing of a tissue.  One of the products of tissue engineering, a temporary skin substitute, is being used to treat patients with burns and diabetic ulcers.  This talk will provide three examples to illustrate the complexities of designing tissue engineering strategies to:  1.  heal damaged cartilage, 2.  engineer living heart valves, and 3. treat Parkinson’s disease and other neurological disorders.  Finally, all of this will be placed in the context of the many scientific and regulatory challenges that exist and provide insight related to the future promise of this field in clinical medicine.