Center of Biomaterials for Tissue Regeneration (CBTR)

这项Cobre提案的主要目标是增加NIH资助的南卡罗来纳州生物医学研究人员的数量，特别是在克莱姆森大学(CU)。为此，CU在生物材料和组织工程方面的独特优势将得到南卡罗来纳医科大学(MUSC)和南卡罗来纳大学(USC)在医学和发育生物学方面的专业知识的补充，以在CU建立组织再生生物材料中心(CBTR)。为了实现该中心的目标，一名优秀的导师干部将指导初级调查人员走向独立，成为NIH资助的调查人员。该中心的组织再生主题同时符合南卡罗来纳州在再生医学方面的优势，同时解决了全球范围内死亡和发病的一个重要原因：终末期器官衰竭和组织丢失每年仅在美国就造成近4000亿美元的医疗成本。组织再生的研究提供了通过修复功能组织来减轻这些人力和经济成本的可能性。该中心的科学重点将是通过细胞生物材料相互作用来调节组织再生。来自初级调查人员的四个项目已经被严格挑选出来，以适应这一主题。这些项目包括：1)通过激光构图的细胞桥进行干细胞-心肌细胞的电偶联；2)用于引导神经再生的生物材料；3)作为一种新的血管生成因子的BMP-4及其在组织工程中的潜在应用；以及4)以内皮反应为导向的透明质酸血管移植物设计。这些目标研究人员将与既定的导师、NIH资助的在指导方面有出色记录的研究人员以及将保持项目临床相关性的外科医生配对。这些项目将得到组织良好的基础设施和三个最先进的核心设施(材料合成、表征和测试、组织学和成像以及细胞和分子工程)的支持。我们得到了前所未有的国家和机构支持来建立这个中心。中大将招聘三名初级调查员，以扩大该中心的活动。南卡罗来纳州还批准了每个机构(CU、MUSC和USC)200万美元，以资助再生医学方面的捐赠教席；每个机构的捐赠匹配后，总共产生了1200万美元。我们国家认可的外部咨询委员会成员将对该中心的进展进行批判性的评估。这一Cobre将大大加强南卡罗来纳州的合作努力，以招募、培训和留住一批具有跨学科技能的研究人员，以便在再生医学研究领域进行有效合作。

The primary goal of this COBRE proposal is to increase the number of NIH-funded biomedical researchers in the state of South Carolina, particularly at Clemson University (CU). For this purpose, CU's unique strengths in biomaterials and tissue engineering will be complemented by expertise in medicine and developmental biology at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and the University of South Carolina (USC) to establish a Center of Biomaterials for Tissue Regeneration (CBTR) at CU. To accomplish the center's goal, an outstanding cadre of mentors will mentor junior investigators toward independence as NIH-funded investigators. The center's tissue-regeneration theme simultaneously fits South Carolina's strength in regenerative medicine while addressing a significant cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide: End-stage organ failure and tissue loss create healthcare costs of nearly $400 billion annually in the US alone. Research in tissue regeneration offers the possibility of relief for these human and economic costs through restoration of functional tissues. The scientific focus of this center will be regulation of tissue regeneration through cellbiomaterials interactions. Four projects from junior investigators have been rigorously selected to fit this theme. These projects are 1) Stem cell-myocyte electrical coupling via a laser-patterned cell bridge; 2) Biomaterials for guided neural regeneration; 3) BMP-4 as a novel angiogenic factor and its potential use in tissue engineering; and 4) Endothelial response-guided design of hyaluronan-based vascular grafts. These target investigators will be paired with mentors who are established, NIH-funded researchers with excellent track records in mentoring and with surgeons who will keep projects clinically relevant. The projects will be supported by a well-organized infrastructure and three state-of-the-art core facilities (Materials Synthesis, Characterization and Testing, Histology and Imaging, and Cell and Molecular Engineering). We have unprecedented state and institutional support to establish this center. CU will recruit three junior investigators to expand activities of this center. The state of South Carolina has also approved $2M at each institution (CU, MUSC, and USC) to fund endowed chairs in regenerative medicine; the endowments have been matched by each institution to yield a total of $12M. Our nationally recognized External Advisory Committee members will critically evaluate the center's progress. This COBRE will significantly augment collaborative efforts in South Carolina to recruit, train, and retain a critical mass of investigators with cross-disciplinary skills to collaborate effectively in the research area of regenerative medicine.