Students Make Mark on Regenerative Medicine Research

From working to solve the challenges of engineering a human limb to using regenerative medicine technologies to improve meniscus replacement surgery, School of Biomedical Engineering and Sciences (SBES) students assigned to the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine are involved in projects with the potential to make dramatic improvement in patients’ lives. The common goal for all our research is to harness the body’s natural healing powers to promote healing from within or to develop replacement organs and tissues in the laboratory.

Masters’ and doctoral students in the Cell and Tissue Engineering Track work under the guidance of WFIRM faculty members and have increasing responsibility as they progress in the program.

“The students in this program make significant contributions to the work of the institute,” said Anthony Atala, MD, WFIRM director. “With their backgrounds in engineering and biotechnology, they are productive members of our team and are helping us make strides to bring new therapies to patients. We are delighted to be an SBES partner.”

Engineers bring a unique perspective that complements that of the physicians and basic science researchers at WFIRM. Some of the current projects that show this collaboration are described below, and include such engineering disciplines as biomechanics, fluid flow, and material science.

Selected Projects

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	Learn more about our research to create blood vessels in the laboratory that can be used to repair or replace diseased or damaged vessels.
	Scientists at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine are actively seeking ways to make replacing amputated limbs a reality by engineering component parts.
	Our researchers are currently assessing ways to create an improved meniscus scaffold that can be used as an alternative to current methods when the meniscus must be replaced.
	WFIRM scientists are working to develop an injectable gel to temporarily provide oxygen to muscle tissue and keep it alive until surgery can restore the blood supply.

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