The Tissue Engineering Resource Center, an NIH supported P41 Resource Center grant (Tissue Engineering Resource Center (TERC)), was funded in August of 2004 for five years and is run by Tufts University, MIT and Columbia University. The program is focused on functional tissue engineering, with research, collaborations, service, dissemination and training components. Currently TERC runs two core laboratories, core #1 focused on bioinductive scaffolds and core #2 focused on bioreactor designs. ? ? During the first two years of experience the program output in the areas of biomaterials, bioreactors and imaging has been robust and has effectively addressed the goals of the program, as determined by the Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) and the NIH. Also based on the specific recommendation of the SAB during our second year review, we seek to establish a new core for the center, focused on stem cells and led by David Scadden at Harvard. The goal is to create a Stem Cell Core in TERC that will assist the growing number of investigators working on stem cells; directly in TERC research programs via collaborative efforts, and for outside collaborators through training/service needs. The new core will focus on its research in two critical areas related to tissue engineering: (a) human endothelial cells for bioengineered blood vessels and (b) human cardiomyocytes for cardiac tissue engineering. The development and optimization of new sources of human endothelial and cardiac cells are crucial for the tissue engineering field. Endothelial cells are a key cellular component for the formation of new blood vessels that is essential for the vascularization of engineered tissue. Likewise, the main challenge for cardiac tissue engineering is to find a suitable source for human cardiomyocytes. In combination with the two existing cores in TERC (bioinductive scaffolds, bioreactor designs), strong synergy will ensue through the collaborative efforts among the three cores, activities which are already underway. With the new core, TERC will also be able to offer a more complete network of support to outside users to address the challenges of regenerative medicine. For research support to collaborators, the new proposed core will provide stem cells (in compliance with the regulations of the material transfer agreement), training and guidance, and will develop new tools to facilitate their characterization, culture, differentiation, manipulation and tracking in the context of functional tissue engineering. All aspects of the proposed new core #3 have already been functioning in an integrated way with TERC over the past year to optimize integrated research activities with the existing two cores, participation in the training and dissemination of program activities, and developing a strong working relationship among the laboratories involved. ? ? ?
Showing the most recent 10 out of 610 publications
