The promise of tissue engineering stretches the limits of our imagination.

Biotechnology in general, and stem cell research in particular, has made great strides in spurring the growth (and re-growth) of specific human cell types. But cells alone cannot replace human tissue. Cells need scaffolds to serve as structural guides while growing into useful tissues or life-saving drug delivery systems.

Cell-scale scaffolds share similarities with building-scale scaffolds used in construction projects. Viable scaffolds allow for the mass transport of oxygen and nutrients. These scaffolds can direct the growth of cells migrating from nearby tissue or provide a foothold for new tissue growth. This directed growth could be used to replace destroyed nerves or heal fractured bones, damaged blood vessels, or parts of diseased organs.

Tissue engineering researchers at WID are laying the research foundation for these transformative scaffolding technologies. Ultimately, their work aims to heal damaged tissues with remarkable speed and minimal complications.

By working at the intersection of biotechnology and nanotechnology, tissue engineering researchers are building a library of scaffolding materials and cost-effective, mass-production methods that will work for a variety of cell types used in a wide range of in-body applications.

WID alumnus awarded first AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship in the U.S. Department of the Treasury

2024-11-14T22:45:03-06:00

WID and Saha Lab alumnus, and current postdoc at the Morgridge Institute for Research, Amritava Das anticipates that he will put his engineering and bioscience training to use exploring the sometimes knotty connections between science, national security, and finance.

WID alumnus awarded first AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship in the U.S. Department of the Treasury2024-11-14T22:45:03-06:00

Micro-Molded ‘Ice Cube Tray’ Scaffold is Next Step in Returning Sight to Injured Retinas

2024-11-14T21:49:43-06:00

WID's Sarah Gong is part of a team that developed a micro-molded scaffolding photoreceptor "patch" to be implanted under damaged or diseased retinas, the next step in restoring sight.

Micro-Molded ‘Ice Cube Tray’ Scaffold is Next Step in Returning Sight to Injured Retinas2024-11-14T21:49:43-06:00

Randolph Ashton and Collaborators Win WARF Innovation Award

2024-11-14T21:54:52-06:00

WID's Randolph Ashton, Gavin Knight, Benjamin Knudsen, and Nisha Iyer take top honors from the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation's Innovation Awards. Their work, Superior Neural Tissue Models for Disease Modeling, Drug Development and More, was selected from more than 400 innovation disclosures.

Randolph Ashton and Collaborators Win WARF Innovation Award2024-11-14T21:54:52-06:00

New Tool for Assessing Heart Muscle Cells Helps Unlock Their Potential

2024-11-14T21:59:49-06:00

A team of UW-Madison researchers led by Discovery Fellow Wendy Crone has created a powerful tool to help assess what experimental factors help to produce stem cell-generated cardiomyocytes that behave like adult heart cells.

New Tool for Assessing Heart Muscle Cells Helps Unlock Their Potential2024-11-14T21:59:49-06:00

Uncovering a Connection Between Regulators and Genes During Early Neurodevelopment

2025-01-27T14:18:51-06:00

WID researchers used a collaborative combination of computational and wet lab experimental techniques to find a connection between a transcription factor and a neurodevelopment gene.

Uncovering a Connection Between Regulators and Genes During Early Neurodevelopment2025-01-27T14:18:51-06:00

New Technique Enables Versatile 3D Control Over Stem Cell-Derived Organoids

2024-11-14T22:06:58-06:00

WID researchers Randolph Ashton and Tom Turng partnered on a project to create hydrogel molds that will allow them to more precisely control the three-dimensional structures of organoids.

New Technique Enables Versatile 3D Control Over Stem Cell-Derived Organoids2024-11-14T22:06:58-06:00

Randolph Ashton Continues Research into Causes of Lou Gehrig’s Disease

2024-11-14T22:15:22-06:00

In August 2017, Randolph Ashton received almost $800,000 from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, part of NIH, to continue a five-year research study of Lou Gehrig’s disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS), after successfully completing its first phase.

Randolph Ashton Continues Research into Causes of Lou Gehrig’s Disease2024-11-14T22:15:22-06:00

WID and UW-Madison Partner in National Effort to Retool U.S. Manufacturing

2025-02-18T10:44:29-06:00

WID and UW-Madison are national partners for the newly formed Digital Lab for Manufacturing, a White House initiative to develop digital tools to enhance manufactured products, from conception to production.

WID and UW-Madison Partner in National Effort to Retool U.S. Manufacturing2025-02-18T10:44:29-06:00
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