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.

New mathematical models shed light on complex interactions of stem cell function in neural tissue

New research has shed light on the complex interactions of stem cell function and molecular diffusion in neural tissue, which may explain many phenomena from stem cell differentiation to the formation of the cortex of the brain. While researching new methods of reconstructing 3D neural tissue and neural pathways in the brain and spinal cord, Dr. Richard McMurtrey devised new mathematical approaches for understanding the concentration of nutrients within the 3D tissue constructs and how this could affect tissue growth.

22 Dec 2015

Synthetic biomaterial aids in regeneration of skin cells to improve wound healing

Some skin wounds, such as diabetic ulcers, are chronic and may never heal; others, such as burn wounds, are often large and difficult to treat, resulting in pain, infection and scarring. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, funded by the National Institutes of Health, have developed a synthetic biomaterial that fills wounds and aids in regeneration of skin cells, which ultimately improves wound healing.

18 Dec 2015

New report finds critical research gaps in assessing environmental impacts of crude oil spills

A comprehensive scientific report released today by The Royal Society of Canada has concluded that there are still critical research gaps hampering efforts to both assess the environmental impacts of crude oil spills and to effectively remediate them.

26 Nov 2015

Microgravity inhibits regenerative and differentiation potential of embryonic stem cells

A study performed on the NASA Space Shuttle Discovery showed that exposure of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) to microgravity inhibited their ability to differentiate and generate most cell lineages, needed for the development of bone, muscle, the immune system, and other organs and tissues.

24 Nov 2015

HEAL Project aims to regenerate human knees and limbs within 15 years

On Veteran's Day the University of Connecticut announced the launch of its new grand research challenge: regeneration of a human knee within 7 years, and an entire limb within 15 years.

12 Nov 2015

New progenitor cells differentiate into mature cell types, prevent risk of unwanted tumors

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSC) can become any type of cell in the adult body, offering great potential in disease modeling, drug discovery and creating replacement cells for conditions ranging from cardiovascular to Alzheimer's disease.

11 Nov 2015

Betalin launches new EMP technology that could transform diabetes treatment

Betalin Therapeutics, a biotech company specializing in tissue engineering for curing diabetes, introduces the Engineered Micro Pancreas (EMP), a novel technology that provides significant levels of glucose-regulated insulin secretion over extended periods of time.

11 Nov 2015

UTA developing SMART bandage system that can monitor, cure wounds in real time

The University of Texas at Arlington is developing a sensing and therapeutic tool that will help doctors and other healthcare workers better monitor and heal patients' complex wounds more quickly.

5 Nov 2015

Rice and Penn researchers create silicon construct with complex network of blood vessels

Using sugar, silicone and a 3-D printer, a team of bioengineers at Rice University and surgeons at the University of Pennsylvania have created an implant with an intricate network of blood vessels that points toward a future of growing replacement tissues and organs for transplantation.

4 Nov 2015

LifeNet Health's ViviGen Cellular Bone Matrix wins Spine Technology Award

ViviGen Cellular Bone Matrix, an innovative cellular allograft developed by LifeNet Health and marketed in collaboration with DePuy Synthes Spine, received one of the highest honors in spinal medicine, Orthopedics This Week's Best New Technology in Spine award.

15 Oct 2015

Houston Methodist-led research team one step closer to developing technologies to fix broken bones

A collaborative research team led by scientists at Houston Methodist is one step closer to developing technologies that could help mend broken bones faster. The Department of Defense awarded close to $6 million to the Houston Methodist Research Institute for an initiative aimed at studying two new materials to repair complex fractures in long bones.

7 Oct 2015

Sticky, protein-rich gel improves cardiac function after simulated heart attacks

A sticky, protein-rich gel created by Johns Hopkins researchers appears to help stem cells stay on or in rat hearts and restore their metabolism after transplantation, improving cardiac function after simulated heart attacks, according to results of a new study.

25 Sep 2015

NJIT President Joel Bloom to be honored as Educator of the Year

The Research & Development Council of New Jersey will honor the winners of the 2015 Edison Patent Awards at the 36th Edison Patent Awards Ceremony & Reception on November 12, 2015. Over 50 inventors and 12 New Jersey companies and universities will be recognized at the event.

23 Sep 2015

Researchers develop 3D bone marrow that produces functional human platelets ex vivo

Researchers funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering at Tufts University and their collaborators have successfully developed a 3-dimensional (3D) tissue-engineered model of bone marrow that can produce functional human platelets outside the body (ex vivo).

16 Sep 2015

Future of transplant medicine to be explored during LifeNet Health Institute of Regenerative Medicine symposium

The LifeNet Health Institute of Regenerative Medicine is bringing together scientists and surgeons from around the world to explore the future of transplant medicine during its Scientific Symposium Sept. 25-26.

14 Sep 2015

Researchers develop new method that can target drug delivery to the lung

Researchers from Columbia Engineering and Columbia University Medical Center have developed a new method that can target delivery of very small volumes of drugs into the lung.

3 Sep 2015

Gene therapy restores visual function in mouse model of LCA1

Mice lacking the protein retGC1, which is deficient in humans suffering Leber congenital amaurosis-1 (LCA1), a disorder that causes severe visual impairment beginning in infancy, received gene therapy to replace retGC1 and showed fully restored visual function that persisted for at least 6 months.

1 Sep 2015

Powerful explosive devices of 21st century warfare prompt urgent calls to re-engineer protective gear

Battle-inflicted head injuries are as old as war itself, evidenced by the copper helmets worn by Bronze Age soldiers to deflect blows from spears and axes. Over the ensuing millennia, as weapons evolved, so did armor. Today, the powerful explosive devices of 21st century warfare have once again raised the stakes, prompting urgent calls to re-engineer protective gear.

28 Aug 2015

University of Nottingham to lead £6.5m research project that aims to develop next generation biomaterials

The University of Nottingham is to lead a £6.5m research project which aims to make the leap from 2D to 3D in the development of advanced materials and realise the true potential of regenerative medicine and medical devices for the future.

27 Aug 2015

Transplanting multi-layered sheet of liver cells into damaged liver improves function in test animals

Liver transplantation is currently the only established treatment for patients with end stage liver failure. However, this treatment is limited by the shortage of donors and the conditional integrity and suitability of the available organs. Transplanting donor hepatocytes (liver cells) into the liver as an alternative to liver transplantation also has drawbacks as the rate of survival of primary hepatocytes is limited and often severe complications can result from the transplantation procedure.