Cell and tissue engineering
Multiscale design and engineering for building tissue scaffolds, regenerative therapies, and microphysiological systems to test novel sensors and therapeutics.
The Cell and Tissue Engineering theme at the Australian Centre for NanoMedicine (ACN) harnesses the immense power of nanoscale science and engineering to mimic life’s assembly processes that underlie complex forms and functions. Through the integration of materials chemistry, advanced fabrication technologies, and cell systems that span physiology and disease, we create living tissues for a variety of purposes:
- Lab models for precision nanomedicine. The verdict is in! Animal models are not sufficient for the development of new drugs and medical technology. At the ACN we assemble collaborative teams from science, engineering, and medicine, to build mini organs and tissue mimics for the testing of nanoscale sensors and therapeutics.
- Cell instructive scaffolding. If we want to fix damaged or diseased tissue, we need to build a replacement in the lab. This goal requires a 4D blueprint to guide natures workforce—the hundreds of unique cell types that make up the human body. Researchers at ACN are studying the myriad of signals that coordinate cell and tissue assembly, so that we can mimic nature’s design criteria and build tissue and organs from the bottom up.
- Cell and tissue manufacturing. To exploit the promise of cell and tissue engineering, we need a framework for producing homogenous and therapeutically useful cells and tissues at scale. In close collaboration with industry partners, researchers at the ACN are developing new materials and protocols that support biomanufacturing of cell and tissue-based products.
- Living materials for regenerative medicine. Cells have an amazing ability to heal and regenerate but require protection during delivery to the body. Using synthetic polymer systems and/or natures building blocks, researchers at the ACN are developing materials that can protect cells and augment their innate healing capacity after delivery.
This program is necessarily interdisciplinary—involving close collaboration between chemists, biologists, engineers, clinicians, and more—with an evolving ecosystem aimed to impact clinical translation and industrial transformation.
