Research Focus
Networking

Regenerative Medicine is a broad term used to describe the development and application of innovative health care treatments using biomaterials, cells, and hybrid organs.

This rapidly expanding interdisciplinary field of research combines medical and surgical disciplines as well as intensive care. The working methods used in the field of Regenerative Medicine range from the integration of basic cell biology, applied biotechnology and medical devices through medical practice to re-establish tissue function or support the regeneration of organs impaired by disease or injury. These developments are based on knowledge gathered from the basic sciences and applied engineering, including tissue engineering, and an understanding of the mechanisms of tissue formation and regeneration in embryonic, adult and aged tissue. Current investigations include studies on the cellular behavior of inflammation, regeneration, neoplasm and degeneration.

Some therapy concepts involve boosting the patient's own tissue healing process by allowing the affected organ to rest and recuperate, during which time tissue stem cells can become active. Extracorporeal liver cell systems, for example, are used to functionally relieve the liver to enhance the liver's natural healing ability. These applications focus on acute diseases. Other therapy concepts utilize the potential of transplantable cells, e.g. skin, muscle or neuronal cells, to repair or regenerate damaged tissue by precursor cell mediated tissue reformation. Here the focus is on chronically diseased tissue or organs.

Cellular therapy employs cell cultures for:

• Temporary extracorporeal organ support for organ relief
• Transplantation of cells to restore organ function
• Application of growth factors produced by cells to stimulate tissue regeneration in the organs

The cells may be derived from cell lines, human transplant discards, cell donors, or the patient's own stem cell population. One of the major focus areas of Regenerative Medicine research is on the utilization of stem cells. Cells are maintained, differentiated and/or proliferated in vitro, outside the body. 3-D tissue- density co-culture bioreactors provide the technology platform for such in vitro cell cultures. Bioreactors provide an environment required by the cells to produce regenerative mediators; they also enable cell multiplication, providing a source of transplantable cells for tissue repair and serve as a tool for extracorporeal organ support.

CellNet.Org promotes research networking, pushes for the advancement of clinical studies and education programs for specialists in the field, supports economic activities and the commercialization of developments in the area of Regenerative Medicine, and shares the knowledge gathered with the public.
CellNet.Org aims to strengthen competitiveness by promoting networks at both regional and international level, and to bring together American, Asian and European initiatives. CellNet.Org fosters cooperation between universities, research centers, enterprises, including SMEs, and science and technology organizations.

The CellNet.Org website is currently being developed by scientists working at the Charité Medical Faculty of the Humboldt University Berlin, Germany, and the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, USA. Our aim is to provide a platform for international cooperation. The CellNet.Org website search functions and the underlying database provide a “Who’s Who” for the field of Regenerative Medicine. Intranet functions allow internal communication.