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For more than a century, BWH has been a leader in rapidly translating regenerative medicine research to the clinic. The hospital’s longstanding tradition in this area includes many world firsts, including the first mitral valve repair, establishment of a blood bank, development of a kidney dialysis machine and the first full face transplant.
This fall, the Biomedical Research Institute assembled a critical mass of scientists to collaboratively build on recent developments in genomics, proteomics, stem cell biology, metabolic engineering, tissue engineering and microsystem fabrication. These scientists make up the core of the Center for Regenerative Therapeutics.
“Our researchers are nationally and internationally recognized for their advances in stem cell, regenerative medicine and tissue engineering research,” said Jeff Karp, PhD, who chairs the center with Annarosa Leri, MD, and Shiladitya Sengupta, PhD. “The Center for Regenerative Therapeutics aims to
integrate the talents of engineers, material scientists and chemists with those of biologists and clinicians.”
Karp added that this marriage of stem cell biology with state-of-the-art engineering and technology makes the center unique and will
allow BWH to remain at the forefront of translational research.
“Brigham and Women’s has a rich history of bringing basic science discoveries to the clinic through innovation in technologies and surgical approaches - it is a translational powerhouse,” Karp said. “The center converges upon technologies and our areas of expertise.”
The center’s inaugural symposium showcased the depth and breadth of scientific expertise in this area, featuring presentations by Nobel laureate Joseph Murray, MD, and many other prominent BWH physicians and scientists. BWH President Betsy Nabel, MD, was first to address the audience as she welcomed them to the symposium.
“Congratulations to all those who have been leaders in helping to establish this important center,” said Nabel. “We are hopeful that this center will continue to grow and exert a leadership role not only across the Brigham and Harvard Medical School, but across the nation as well.”
Barbara Bierer, MD, senior vice president of Research, reflected on how the center became established.
“When we collectively define what’s important to us and how we envision our future, regenerative therapeutics is a significant underpinning,” she said. “We look forward to a future together.”
The symposium brought together the past, present and future of regenerative medicine, beginning with reflections from Murray on the world’s first human organ transplant – a kidney from one twin to another – at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in 1954. As he recalled the years of research that were conducted prior to the transplant, he also spoke of the courage of the first patients, Ronald and Richard Herrick.
“To perform a surgical operation on a healthy person, not to his own benefit, was a radical position,” Murray said. “The only benefit for Ronald, the donor, was saving the life of his brother. That was all, but for Ronald, it was enough.”
He continued, “Ronald’s gift of life gave Richard eight years – long enough to marry one of his nurses and have a family.”
Learn more about the Center for Regenerative Therapeutics at :www.brighamandwomens.org/research/centers/regenerative_medicine/