Center of Biomaterials for Tissue Regeneration (CBTR)

描述（由申请人提供）：本COBRE提案的主要目标是增加美国国立卫生研究院支持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，科罗拉多大学在生物材料和组织工程方面的独特优势将与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相辅相成，在科罗拉多大学建立组织再生生物材料中心（CBTR）。为了实现中心的目标，一群杰出的导师将指导年轻的研究人员走向独立，成为nih支持的研究人员。该中心的组织再生主题既符合南卡罗来纳州在再生医学方面的优势，又解决了全球死亡和发病率的重要原因：仅在美国，终末期器官衰竭和组织损失每年就造成近4000亿美元的医疗费用。组织再生的研究提供了通过恢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调节组织再生。经过严格挑选的初级研究人员的四个项目符合这个主题。这些项目包括：1)通过激光图型细胞桥实现干细胞-肌细胞电偶联；2)引导神经再生生物材料；3) BMP-4作为一种新型血管生成因子及其在组织工程中的潜在应用；4)基于透明质酸的血管移植的内皮反应引导设计。这些目标研究人员将与已建立的导师配对，这些导师是nih支持的研究人员，在指导方面有出色的记录，并与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。为了扩大该中心的活动范围，将招聘3名初级调查人员。南卡罗来纳州也为每所大学（科罗拉多大学、马里兰大学和南加州大学）拨款200万美元，以支持再生医学的捐赠主席；每家机构的捐赠金额都相当，总计1200万美元。我们国家认可的外部咨询委员会成员将严格评估中心的进展。该COBRE将大大增加南卡罗来纳州的合作努力，以招募、培训和留住具有跨学科技能的关键数量的研究人员，以便在再生医学研究领域进行有效合作。

Description (provided by applicant): The primary goal of this COBRE proposal is to increase the number of NIH-supported 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-supported 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 cell biomaterials 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-supported 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 support 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.