TECHNOLOGY FOR CHANGE

Growing Replacement Parts with Stem Cells and Bioengineering

Michael Steinhart | Date: 08-18-10 | Comments

Several different approaches to regenerative medicine�growing replacements for damaged tissue, limbs and organs�are yielding success.

Table of Contents:

Growing Replacement Parts with Stem Cells and Bioengineering
In "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," which enjoyed box office success back in 1986, the crew of the USS Enterprise travels back in time to San Francisco in the 1980s. In one scene, Dr. McCoy is walking down the corridor of a hospital, and he passes an elderly woman on a gurney. "What's the matter with you?" he asks.

"Kidney ... dialysis," she replies.

"Dialysis? What is this, the Dark Ages?" he mutters. Then he hands her a pill and tells her to swallow it. When we next see the patient, she is shouting for joy, "The doctor gave me a pill and I grew a new kidney!"

Geeky introduction aside, it's clear that, 25 years ago, organ regeneration was a concept limited to science fiction. Today, however, it's very rapidly becoming reality.

A few months ago, we reported on one research project that has found a protein that directs stem cells to the site of damaged brain tissue and instructs them to repair it. More recently, several labs around the country are reporting significant advances in the regrowth of damaged muscle tissue, internal organs and even limbs.

According to Organdonor.gov, there are some 108,091 people waiting for organ transplants in the United States as of July 2010, but only 6,712 transplants were actually performed in the first three months of this year. In other words, there are tens of thousands of patients who could benefit from regenerative medicine, and research is progressing across many areas.

Organ transplant breakdown between deceased and living donors. Data provided by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN)/Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR)/United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) and the New York Organ Donor Network.

Next: Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine >>

Click here for "THINK" Leadership Forum Presentation Videos

IBM Resources

Videos

TWITTER FEED

21 minutes agoGood morning from Los Angeles! #ibmcloud
24 minutes agoThat's it from me! Over to North America.
30 minutes agoThe data processing of Roland Garros 2012 (#RG12) rests on IBM Private Cloud http://t.co/JUaY1ItM [French Press release]
about 2 hours agoIBM Accelerates Business from Supply to Demand with New #Cloud Offerings For Smarter Commerce http://t.co/OFxknOb0 [Press Release]
about 3 hours agoHow IBM #SmartCloud Foundation technology powers cloud adoption? IBM VP @SLHebner explains here http://t.co/sSzfa0O5 [VIDEO]
about 4 hours agoIBM's Fiona Cullen will present ‘The Power of #Cloud: Driving Business Model’ On May 24 @ Utrecht, Netherlands #cloudforum2012 #ibmcloud
about 5 hours agoBlog Post: Why service providers should not ignore cloud http://t.co/ZfQyue4r via @eMarcusNet #thoughtsoncloud
about 6 hours agoHave any #cloudmoment? Share your story with us via Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and tag it. See other stories http://t.co/J4ntsaQ5
about 7 hours agoSign up now for IBM #SmartCloud Enterprise! No charge for select VMs (only till May 28). More Details >> http://t.co/2LEzOUZC #ibmcloud
about 7 hours agoRT @HansMoen: See this video from @IBMCloud to learn how to cut costs in building innovation in your business http://t.co/XOyJoFn6 #clou ...