Tissue Engineering
Tissue engineering integrates the principles and methods of engineering with the fundamentals of life sciences towards the development of biological substitutes to restore, maintain or improve tissue/organ function. When most people first think of tissue engineering, artificial skin and cartilage generally comes to mind, but many other aspects are included in this diverse field of study:
- Scaffold/Biomaterial Design - Identify the physiological and engineering criteria that a biodegradable scaffold must meet. Select the proper biochemical composition to insure that the cells perform in a physiologic manner on the surface of the scaffold.
- Functional/Biomechanical Tissue Engineering - Characterize the roles of biomechanical stimuli on the growth and development of bioengineered cells, tissues and organs. Measure the biomechanical properties of bioengineered tissues and organs.
- Bioreactor Design - Design reactors that control the rates at which nutrients and growth factors are supplied to bioengineered tissues and organs during growth and development in a laboratory environment.
Last modified: August 21, 2008 14:04:36