Research theme Reconstructive and regenerative medicine

Reconstructive and regenerative medicine About theme

The theme focuses on the development and clinical translation of innovative diagnosis and reconstructive therapies, including regenerative medicine and nanomedicine, towards personalized care and cure of patients needing reconstructions of lost or damaged tissues. This is achieved by transdisciplinary research between research groups in the fields of cell biology, biomaterials and bioengineering, in close collaboration with clinical experts.

Reconstructive and regenerative medicine (RRM) is a rapidly emerging field in translational medicine. It aims at improving quality of life and, if possible, extending lifespan through healthy aging, by developing reconstructive and curative therapies for diseases caused by structural anomalies, tissue damage, and ensuing organ dysfunction. Regenerative medicine takes full advantage of contemporary developments in stem cell and molecular biology, epigenetics, genomics and proteomics, biomaterials, and bioengineering. They emerge from advances in molecular diagnostics, image-guided therapies for minimally invasive treatments, nanomedicine, novel devices, advanced therapy medicinal products and drugs. Furthermore, both reconstructive and regenerative medicine benefit from new surgical techniques, new animal models, new implantable materials and prostheses, and a combination of innovative imaging techniques and surgical instruments and procedures. Local, national, and European expert teams and networks are increasingly supporting these developments in order to address medical issues covering the whole lifespan from prenatal and postnatal anomalies until old age. The theme RRM has as its common denominator reconstructive and regenerative medicine for individualized personal healthcare and treatment innovation. Within the RRM theme, research is centered around three main lines of research for the future, as a result of  a strategy and focus process in 2017.
 

Objectives

• We will investigate clinical applications for musculoskeletal diseases.
• We will investigate applications for kidney diseases.
• We are investigating applications for the urogenital tract.
• We are looking for applications for skin diseases.
• We are investigating reconstructive surgical procedures and TERM applications.