Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (ITRM) have positioned themselves in our country as an interdisciplinary field that unites natural sciences, treatment, and engineering to restore the structure and function of damaged tissues and organs.
Last October 24 and 25, the scientific community that conducts research in the different aspects involved in this discipline met at the III National Congress of ITRM, held at the Federico Santa Maria University. At the event, the IMPACT Center of Excellence had outstanding participation with its researchers, Humberto Palza and Luis Córdova, both from the University of Chile, Juan Pablo Acevedo from the University of the Andes, and Nelson Osses from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, who discussed the results of their research on intelligent polymers and 3D printing for tissue engineering, therapeutic products based on mesenchymal stromal cells, regeneration of the maxillofacial skeleton, and additive biomanufacturing and its challenges for tissue replacement in regenerative medicine.
On the other hand, IMPACT’s efforts allowed the participation of researcher Jonny Blaker, leader of the biomedical materials research area and senior lecturer at the Henry Royce Institute of the University of Manchester (UK), who was in charge of the opening keynote talk “Hierarchical constructs for tissue regeneration with bioactive guidance signals.”
For the coordinator of the Biomaterials and Medical Engineering Program of IMPACT, Juan Pablo Acevedo, “It is evident that the area of tissue engineering is a developing area of research and development in the country, but with great projection, while regenerative medicine encompasses more extended efforts and with a longer history. Chilean groups present high-quality work with important advances, with representatives in Santiago and the regions highlighting Valparaiso as a significant pole. There are not many groups or researchers, but the quality and novelty of the research is very stimulating”, he assures.
Regarding the work carried out by IMPACT in this area, the expert points out that “in the presentations of international research and developments in the plenary sessions, it also becomes evident that we must focus on the great challenges in the area, especially those that limit these advances from reaching patients. In this sense, we believe that IMPACT will play an important role and that it will derive not only from the outstanding technological efforts but also from what is being done in cGMP biomanufacturing, regulatory efforts, and the implementation of units that serve for the proper execution of clinical trials”.