Biomaterials and tissue engineering represent the
pharmacology of the future - tissues and materials engineered to
integrate with the patient's own body.
Today donor programmes cannot meet the demand for replacement
body parts, and donor organs risk rejection by the patient. In
addition, the materials used in the construction of medical
devices often fail prematurely and are a poor substitute for
living tissues.
Developments in this area over the coming decades will
improve the quality of life of an ageing population and
contribute towards the United Kingdom economy both in healthcare
provision and in developments in the medical device and
biomaterials industry.
Progress in this field of study calls for a multidisciplinary
approach, and access to a wide range of expertise and facilities.
Below are links to departments at the University of Sheffield,
which are contributing their expertise to this endeavour: