top of page
This site was designed with the
.com
website builder. Create your website today.Start Now

INNOVATORS

There are many researchers, schools, and organizations making scientific discoveries that will help further our understanding of this field and help save lives. However, due to the costs of tissue engineering, mainly First World countries are involved in tissue engineering. However, scientists are working toward using this technology to help developing countries.  

(S.12)

Pie chart showing where most of the tissue engineering firms in the world are

(I.9)

SCHOOLS

Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine 

One school that focuses on tissue engineering is the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, considered the juggernaut of the field. They have a long history with tissue engineering, going as far back as 2006 when they were the first to implant a laboratory-grown organ into a human. Since then, they have made many accomplishments in the field such as:

​​

  • Creating Blood Vessels Using 3-D Printers: Scientists at the university have been working with bioprinters to create tissues. The tissues are functioning so well, they might be able to develop a system of blood vessels, according to Dr. Atala, the institute's director. This research is considered a milestone accomplishment.

  • Growing Livers: Scientists have used human liver cells to create miniature livers that function (at least in a lab setting). This is an important milestone that can eventually be a solution to the problem to the shortage of donor livers. 

 

Currently, they are working on such projects as:

  • Cell and gene therapies

  • Engineering solid organs

  • Skin regeneration

(I.1)

(I.2)

(S.1, S.2, S.3, S.4, S.5, S.6, S.7) 

(S.1) 

The livers that Wake Forest are growing inside of their labs

California Institute for Regenerative Medicine 

(I.3)

Another school is the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. It was created in 2004 by Proposition 71. CIRM funds stem cell research with the goal of creating treatments for patients who need them greatly. Although it doesn't focus directly on tissue engineering, it focuses on stem cells, which is still an important part of regenerative medicine. They have many accomplishments, such as:

 

  • Funding Clinical Trials: CIRM has funded many clinical trials that focus on a variety of diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Huntington's Disease, Diabetes, and Melanoma.

  • Developing a Strategic Plan: In 2016, a Strategic Plan was developed. For the next 5 years, CIRM is going to optimize their performance. These are some of the many tasks that they hope to accomplish with the Strategic Plan: 

    • Open 50 new clinical trials 

    • Create a new, efficient federal regulatory approval process for stem cell treatments

    • Reduce the time it takes to move a stem cell treatment from the earliest Discovery stage into a clinical trial by 50%

    • Increase the number of projects moving to the next stage of development by 50%

(I.4)

(S.8, S.9, S.10) 

(S.11) 

RESEARCHERS

Anthony Atala

Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine

Although there are many researchers, one influential researcher is Dr. Anthony Atala. Dr. Atala is the director of the Wake Forest Institute and Chair of Urology at Wake Forest University. He is known for his work with growing organs. He engineered bladders and implanted them into 7 children suffering from spina bifida.

 

  • First, they took cells from a small piece of the bladder from each of the patients.

  • The cells were grown in the lab for about 30 days.

  • Using CT imaging, they constructed a scaffold made from a biodegradable polymer. They placed the cells onto a scaffold and let it grow inside an incubator for 2-3 weeks.  

  • Finally, surgeons used the tissue from the lab to recreate a new bladder. 

 

The experiment went successfully. The bladders functioned normally and stopped leaking. 

 

(I.5)

(R.1, R.2)

ORGANIZATIONS

Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS)

One organization working with tissue engineering is TERMIS. TERMIS brings scientists together to encourage research and progress within the field. It also serves as a way for scientists to share the results of their experiments. There are three branches of TERMIS:

 

  • TERMIS-AP: Countries from the Asian-Pacific region make up this branch, like China, Taiwan, Japan, and Australia.

  • TERMIS-EU: Countries from Europe make up this branch. This includes England, France, and Turkey.

  • TERMIS-AM: Countries from North American make up this branch, such as Canada and the United States.

 

TERMIS also has a journal called Tissue Engineering. Here, scientists publish their findings for their fellow members to read.    

 

(O.1)

(I.6)

(O.1)

Another organization is Osiris Therapeutics, which was founded in 1992. They focus on many things, such as:

 

  • Creating Products: Some of the products they have created include:

    • Stravix: Stravix is a surgical wrap composed of umbilical amnion and Wharton’s jelly. It can be used in many procedures like tendon repair and foot amputations.

    • Bio4: Bio4 is a bone matrix made of many materials, like mesenchymal stem cells and growth factors. It is used in procedures that involve bone repair and regeneration. 

  • Developing Technology: Some technology that they have developed includes: 

    • BioSmart: BioSmart is a process that helps preserve materials used for tissue engineering like cells and growth factors.

    • MSC Primer: MSC Primer uses cellular matrices to help promote healing within the body. They do this by increasing the number of mesenchymal stem cells. By doing this, it increases our healing factor. This treatment controls inflammation, boosts tissue regeneration, and prevents scarring. 

 

Osiris Therapeutics 

Picture of Stravix

(I.7)

(I.8)

(O.2, O.3, O.4, O.5, O.6)

(O.7)

bottom of page