WTEC Study on Tissue Engineering Research

| Scope of Study | Team Members |

Reports

• The final report is available in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) format.
• Proceedings of the June 5-6, 2000 U.S. Review Workshop

Scope

This study is documenting R&D activities abroad with the objective of developing a better understanding of the design, fabrication, and use of engineered tissues to replace parts of a living system or to function extracorporally. Examples include artificial skin, structural and metabolic replacements, and other materials of biomimetic design. Complex organ replacement is also being considered. For purposes of this study, "tissue engineering" is defined as "an interdisciplinary field that applies the principles of engineering and life sciences toward the development of biological substitutes to restore, maintain, or improve tissue or organ function. "

This panel is reviewing the current status of research, development, and applications in tissue engineering in Western Europe and Japan with a view towards benchmarking with current and future research in the United States. The study is also tasked with assessing current international collaborative activities and identifying opportunities for new approaches and topics for international cooperation. Specific topics covered include the following:

• molecular basis of tissue maintenance and regeneration as applied to tissue engineering as well as the host responses to implants
• new tissue engineering processing and advanced manufacturing technologies
• controlled drug delivery systems that can be used for drug and cell delivery in applications to tissue engineering
• relationship of matrix, incorporated bioactive factors, and cells

Non-Technical Issues

• explore models of cooperation across industry and academia in different countries
• examine the current dialogue among diverse groups of bioengineers, biological scientists, and clinical researchers on an international scale and make suggestions on how cooperation can be more interactive and dynamic
• review long range research and educational challenges that need to be confronted in order for research in tissue engineering to advance rapidly
• identify new funding strategies employed by other countries that could be of use to the tissue engineering community
• assess the effect of the regulatory environment on the progress of critical work
• report on current funding levels for both the biotechnology industry and government R&D programs in the foreign countries visited
• review R&D methodology (e.g., size and educational background of research teams, management strategy, etc.)

Team Members

Panelists

Other Team Members

Advisors