Tissue engineering is the new buzz word.
We'll be growing our own bones, ligaments, tendons and joints, and eventually our own organs. Dunn's focus is reconstructing musculoskeletal soft tissues, including ligaments, tendons and skin. Ligaments are the strong, flexible bands of collagenous tissue that connect bone to bone to provide a delicate balance of stability and flexibility to the joints of the body. The ACL, which is the primary stabilizer of the knee and is frequently injured in sports activities and accidents, rarely heals well following an injury, often leading to knee instability and pain, as well as cartilage and meniscus degeneration. With three dozen faculty members from these schools, the Center assembles teams to take on new research challenges in bioengineering a field that applies biological, chemical and mathematical sciences and engineering principles to the study of biology, medicine, behavior and health.