From material to tissue: Biomaterial development, scaffold fabrication, and tissue engineering

The need for techniques to facilitate the regeneration of failing or destroyed tissues remains great with the aging of the worldwide population and the continued incidence of trauma and diseases such as cancer. A 16-year history in biomaterial scaffold development and tissue engineering is examined, beginning with the synthesis of novel materials and fabrication of 3D porous scaffolds. Exploring cell-scaffold interactions and subsequently cellular delivery using biomaterial carriers, we have developed a variety of techniques for bone and cartilage engineering. In addition to delivering cells, we have utilized growth factors, DNA, and peptides to improve the in vitro and in vivo regeneration of tissues. This review covers important developments and discoveries within our laboratory, and the increasing breadth in the scope of our work within the expanding field of tissue engineering is presented.