BIOMATERIALS

Biomaterials are an important element in virtually every application in regenerative medicine. They serve as delivery vehicles for cells—scaffolds that support engineered organs until they can function alone—and promoters of tissue regeneration. The Biomaterials Program at the Institute, led by Mark Van Dyke, Ph.D., encompasses both synthetic and natural materials that have demonstrated strict criteria for biocompatibility.


These materials must be made to fit a wide range of structural and functional parameters, as one application may require adequate space to accommodate a large quantity of cells, ingrowing nerves and blood vessels, whereas another may be constructed to allow easy injection through a needle. To guide the cells in forming functional tissue structures in vivo, a careful selection of biomaterials and three-dimensional scaffold fabrication is necessary. Biomaterials used in scaffolds must be designed to degrade over a timeline that is appropriate for the particular tissue or organ they are supporting. Of course, the degradation products must exit or be incorporated into the body without causing negative reactions. The biomaterials team is working on processing and building three-dimensional polymer scaffolds for improved cell adhesion and guided functional tissue regeneration.

NEXT»