Tissue Engineering & Wound Healing

Investigators in this topic area use a variety of approaches to investigate the basic biology of wound healing and tissue regeneration, primarily in skeletal and connective tissues including bone, cartilage, and skin. For example, several projects to understand how transcription factors, metalloprotease enzymes, and matrix proteoglycans regulate wound healing are underway. A second goal is to take knowledge gained about such basic molecules, and apply it toward the reconstitution of living organs (tissue engineering). A number of in vitro models, including artificial skin, cartilage explants, and tissue regeneration with bone marrow-derived stem cells, are being examined in this context.