Cellular, Biomaterial and Matrix Interaction

Many approaches have been proposed for repairing and replacing damaged or diseased tissues in the human body. However, the benefits that patients receive from these medical approaches are limited by the design features of the replacement tissues made in the laboratory and the ability of these materials to establish connections with the patients own tissues once they are implanted. This research program will develop improved methods for designing and engineering replacement tissues and investigate the factors that influence the ability of these laboratory-grown tissues to establish functional connections in the human body.