Research into efforts to generate new limbs for patients is underway at the University thanks to a $2 million research grant for musculoskeletal regeneration recently awarded by the National Science Foundation.
A team of five University doctors, scientists and engineers, headed by Cato T. Laurencin, chair of the orthopaedic surgery sports medicine division, received the NSF Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation Grant to fund research "concerned with developing ways to easily generate different parts of the body," Laurencin explained.
According to NSF Public Affairs Specialist Joshua Chamot, the grant -- which has not been issued in past years -- represents the National Science Foundation's emerging interest in multidisciplinary engineering research.
"Here at the National Science Foundation, most of research funding goes to projects that push the boundaries of research," Chamot said. "Tissue regeneration is a perfect example."
The EFRI grant is highly competitive, awarding funding for fewer than five percent of submitted proposals. It provides $2 million to each selected team pursuing "cutting-edge research projects," Chamot said. This year, 12 grants were awarded for a total of $24 million.
Research in musculoskeletal regeneration has many positive implications for the future of the medical field, according to Laurencin, who said findings would enable doctors to produce regenerated body parts including tissue, joints and bones.
"We can provide orthopedic surgeons with new tools that can help them achieve better outcomes of repair," said research team member Edward Botchwey, assistant professor of biomedical engineering?.
According to Laurencin, he and his team have received a number of additional grants to support their research in musculoskeletal regeneration, including one from the United States Army to "develop new strategies for the generation of whole limbs."
Laurencin said research about musculoskeletal regeneration is still in a "fairly early stage," noting that "starting from nothing is the real challenge."
Though there is much research yet to be done, Laurencin and Botchwey both expressed enthusiasm for their research.
"We're now in the world where the possibilities by all are seen," Laurencin said.
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