Tissue Engineering

We are trying to apply what has been learned about normal organ development to the problem of engineering new organs (for drug testing and, one day, for transplantation)

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We make as much use as possible of cells' own ability to self-organize. So far, we have managed to produce, from suspensions of separated foetal stem cells, engineered 'foetal kdineys' that consist of a branched uring collecting duct system, with attached nephrons, in a self-organized organ that has a distinct medulla and cortex. These kidneys are capable of connecting to a host blood system. We are currently testing how well they work.