Tissue Engineering News and Research

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Dramatic advances in the fields of biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, genetics, biomedical engineering and materials science have given rise to the remarkable new cross-disciplinary field of tissue engineering. Tissue engineering uses synthetic or naturally derived, engineered biomaterials to replace damaged or defective tissues, such as bone, skin, and even organs.

Prestigious Janssen Industry Excellence Awards announced

The prestigious Janssen Industry Excellence Awards were announced as part of the official opening reception for the AusBiotech 2013 Conference at Brisbane City Hall last night; among them, internationally-acclaimed Brisbane-based researcher, Professor Ian Frazer.

31 Oct 2013

Rice University research reveals 3-way genetic switch for cancer metastasis

Cancer researchers from Rice University have deciphered the operating principles of a genetic switch that cancer cells use to decide when to metastasize and invade other parts of the body. The study found that the on-off switch's dynamics also allows a third choice that lies somewhere between "on" and "off." The extra setting both explains previously confusing experimental results and opens the door to new avenues of cancer treatment.

25 Oct 2013

Biocompatible compounds can be used to develop customized implant designs with 3-D printing

Researchers from North Carolina State University, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Laser Zentrum Hannover have discovered that a naturally-occurring compound can be incorporated into three-dimensional (3-D) printing processes to create medical implants out of non-toxic polymers.

24 Oct 2013

Tissue-engineered transplants safe and effective in the long term: Study

New results published in The Lancet today [Wednesday 23 October] reveal that five years after the first successful transplantation of a tissue-engineered airway (reported in The Lancet in 2008) the recipient continues to enjoy a good quality of life, and has not experienced any immunological complications or rejection of the implanted airway.

23 Oct 2013

U of T researchers develop method to screen human stem cells

University of Toronto researchers have developed a method that can rapidly screen human stem cells and better control what they will turn into. The technology could have potential use in regenerative medicine and drug development. Findings are published in this week's issue of the journal Nature Methods.

23 Oct 2013

New gene transfer strategy effective for achieving persistent immunotherapy to treat tumors

Cancer immunotherapy can successfully use the body's own immune system to kill tumor cells. But some current approaches to stimulate an antitumor immune response are short-lived, with limited clinical effectiveness. A new gene transfer strategy that introduces modified, immune-stimulating human stem cells is both feasible and effective for achieving persistent immunotherapy to treat leukemias and lymophomas, according to a study published in Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

11 Oct 2013

Department of Defense backs tissue-engineering research for soldiers, civilians

A $75 million Department of Defense grant to improve technologies to treat soldiers injured on the battlefield and advance care for the public will involve bioengineers at Rice University and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

30 Sep 2013

Tel Aviv University researchers develop spring-like fibers to help repair damaged heart tissue

The threat from a heart attack doesn't end with the event itself. Blockage of blood flow to the heart can cause irreversible cell death and scarring. With transplants scarce, half the people who live through a heart attack die within five years. Scientists are trying to address this problem by engineering cardiac tissue to patch up damaged areas.

24 Sep 2013

Cardinal Health grants funds to support Tissue Engineering Program at Nationwide Children's Hospital

Cardinal Health recently donated $1 million to Nationwide Children's Hospital to help advance the work and research of its Tissue Engineering Program.

23 Sep 2013

Repeated exposure to low level blasts causes harmful effects in brain

Repeated exposure to low level blasts (LLB) can cause symptoms similar to sports concussion. Soldiers or law enforcement officers called "breachers" receive training in using low level blasts for forced entry.

17 Sep 2013

Wake Forest Baptist conducts $24 million project to accelerate development of new therapies

Whether it's the Ebola virus or Sarin and Ricin, a key to responding to chemical or biological attacks is having effective antidotes at the ready. To accelerate the development of new therapies, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center's Institute for Regenerative Medicine is leading a unique $24 million federally funded project to develop a "body on a chip" that will be used to develop these countermeasures.

12 Sep 2013

New method helps reconnect injured organs or build functional human tissues from ground up

A team of researchers at the Wyss Institute of Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University has found a way to self-assemble complex structures out of bricks smaller than a grain of salt.

10 Sep 2013

Researchers start Phase I clinical trial of implantable vaccine for treatment of melanoma

A cross-disciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and clinicians announced today that they have begun a Phase I clinical trial of an implantable vaccine to treat melanoma, the most lethal form of skin cancer.

7 Sep 2013

Nanofibrous nerve conduits for repair of long sciatic nerve defects

Autografts or allografts are commonly used in the repair of damaged peripheral nerves. However, similar problems have been encountered in allografting or xenografting. Previous studies concerning artificial neural tubes to repair nerve defects mainly focus on peripheral nerve defects less than 30 mm.

5 Sep 2013

Microencapsulated brain cancer drug may simplify treatment and provide tightly controlled therapy

Consistently uniform, easily manufactured microcapsules containing a brain cancer drug may simplify treatment and provide more tightly controlled therapy, according to Penn State researchers.

4 Sep 2013

New recombinant antibody can recognize MSCs in umbilical cord blood

A new recombinant antibody can detect and isolate mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), a nonembryonic source of stem cells with promising applications in tissue engineering, blood stem cell transplantation, and treatments for immune-mediated disorders.

4 Sep 2013

Comparison of guidelines highlights when player can resume athletic activity after concussion

Concussions are a common sports injury that can have long-term neurological consequences if not properly diagnosed and treated. Several new or updated guidelines for managing sports concussions were released earlier this year, and their key areas of consensus, including recommendations for return to play, are presented in an article in Journal of Neurotrauma, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

27 Aug 2013

Professor of international MIT Portugal Program receives 2013 TERMIS-EU Young Scientist Award

For the first time, the European Chapter of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS-EU) has presented awards at its annual conference to distinguished scientists in several categories. The award recipients represent excellence in Europe in the field of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

21 Aug 2013

IBN researchers one step closer to viable tissue replacements

Researchers at the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology have developed a simple method of organizing cells and their microenvironments in hydrogel fibers. Their unique technology provides a feasible template for assembling complex structures, such as liver and fat tissues, as described in their recent publication in Nature Communications.

19 Aug 2013

Osteoarthritis research: an interview with Dr Deborah Mason, Cardiff University

Osteoarthritis is an extremely common condition affecting about 8 million people in the UK. The elderly are particularly susceptible, with up to 45% of people over 65 years, having the disease.

14 Aug 2013