Research in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine encompasses all aspects of the research and development continuum from mechanistic studies to translational approaches. Collaborative efforts with colleagues at Rice and the Texas Medical Center address unmet clinical needs for a plethora of tissues ranging from bone to cartilage to heart valve to inner ear.
Specific areas of interest include structure and function relationships in living tissues, synthesis and fabrication of biomimetic materials and extracellular matrix constructs, combinations of biomaterials with cell populations for modulating cell function and guiding tissue growth, stem cell programming, drug and gene delivery systems for tissue induction and regeneration, 3D printing and bioprinting, and bioreactor designs for cell culture and disease modeling.
Rice BIOE researchers working in this key application area: