NCDBA Business Alignment Forum and Networking Lunch

Presenter
Dr. Anthony Atala
Chair and Institute Director
Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine

The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine has all the components in place to allow basic and clinical research to work in concert. With the goal of speeding the process of discovery, the lab is designed for collaboration – scientists in the fields of biomedical and chemical engineering, cell and molecular biology, biochemistry, physiology, materials science, nanotechnology, genomics, proteomics, drug delivery, surgery and medicine work side by side. With investment in a GMP facility The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine is able to engineer tissues and organs that meet the strict requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This environment facilitates the transfer of technologies from the laboratory to the patients who need them.

The scientist’s current research focuses on a wide range of engineered tissues with the aim of making a lasting impact on conditions ranging from diabetes to heart disease. In addition, they are working to apply the science of regenerative medicine to battlefield injuries and to help solve the shortage of donated organs available for transplant. As a result of their preliminary successes, tissue engineering and cellular therapy programs now span multiple organ systems. 

The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine has many challenges to meet, but are optimistic about the ability of the field to have a significant impact on human health. Regenerative medicine promises to be one of the most pervasive influences on public health in the modern era.