I could not believe how many news items appeared when I typed “Biomedical Engineering” into my Google News toolbar. Thousands upon thousands of articles filled the screen, all about breaking news, research grants, fresh technology—I was overwhelmed.
Thankfully, one title in particular caught my eye: “Engineering team to design and study liver mimics.” Upon reading the article, I learned that a research team at Virginia Tech College of Engineering is using a $1 million grant to research engineered tissues that mimic the liver. I did not know anything about this sort of research, but luckily, the article was informative and detailed. The goal of the project is to create 3D cellular structures that mimic the liver, and the main challenge revolves around regeneration. “Liver cells can regenerate inside the body, but lose this ability once removed,” explains Padma Rajagopalan, a professor of chemical engineering. “Therefore, researchers need to find a way to sustain cells in vitro. A critical aspect is capturing the precise spacing between different cell types in the liver.”
The article also addressed a sometimes ignored question: why is this research important? The liver is a crucial organ, performing functions such as metabolism and detoxification. When the liver deteriorates, serious health problems or death can follow. The solution—liver transplants—remains expensive, and may not be an option for patients at high risk for surgery. Even more, a lack of suitable donors plagues the country, leaving many people with no options. Engineering tissues to mimic the liver provides an alternative.
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