Conferences

The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine held its 2021 Scientific Retreat March 9, 10, and 11, 2021.  Due to restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Retreat was virtual with all programs presented via Zoom. Read More

In 2019, the International Space Station (ISS) U.S. National Laboratory formed a research partnership with the University of Pittsburgh’s McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Read More

Regenerative Rehabilitation seeks to optimize patient outcomes through an integration of two fields: regenerative medicine and rehabilitation science. The former focuses on tissue repair or replacement due to loss from injury, disease, or age. This is achieved primarily through the enhancement of endogenous stem cell function or the transplantation of exogenous stem cells. The latter focuses on the use of mechanical and other stimuli to promote functional recovery. This synergy between biological and bioengineering advances is critical to developing novel and impactful translational therapies. However, there currently are few opportunities for regenerative scientists to be exposed to the methodologies commonly employed in the clinic by rehabilitation professionals. Conversely, most rehabilitation scientists and clinicians are not exposed to the many advances of regenerative medicine. This disconnect has impeded the pace of progress in the field. To this end, the International Consortium for Regenerative Rehabilitation—comprised of 16 institutions—aims to increase interdisciplinary interaction. Thus, as technologies are developed and our understanding of regenerative biology progresses, advances may be efficiently translated to the clinic. Read More

CATER students participated in many events at the annual McGowan Institute Scientific Retreat, which was held at Oglebay Resort in Wheeling, West Virginia earlier this month. Here are some highlights from the two day event: Read More

The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine held its 2020 Scientific Retreat March 9-10, 2020.  The focus was on peer-to-peer networking, and the retreat provided many opportunities to explore collaborative endeavors with other researchers, participating guests, and external partners who are working to bring regenerative medicine technologies to clinical use. Read More

Neuroelectronic interfaces are the foundation of technology that connects the human mind to machine and helps to restore motor and sensory function to individuals with neurological diseases and disorders. This technology has been introduced as a successful treatment to the clinical environment, but issues with device stability and longevity remain. Read More

Please note: On some devices, when you follow the link below you will be offered the option to download the “Panopto Mobile App” or “Stay on the web”. We recommend that you elect to “Stay on the web.” Read More

The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine held its 2019 Scientific Retreat March 11-12, 2019.  The focus was on peer-to-peer networking, and the retreat provided many opportunities to explore collaborative endeavors with other researchers, participating guests, and external partners who are working to bring regenerative medicine technologies to clinical use. Read More

Photo by Michael Drazdzinski

The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine held its 2018 Scientific Retreat March 5-6, 2018. The focus was on peer-to-peer networking, and the retreat provided many opportunities to explore collaborative endeavors with other researchers, participating guests, and external partners who are working to bring regenerative medicine technologies to clinical use. Read More

The Alliance for Regenerative Rehabilitation Research and Training (AR3T) is looking to support faculty who are developing novel technology projects that will enable cutting-edge investigations in Regenerative Rehabilitation research. The ideal proposal will lead to a research tool that will enable further Regenerative Rehabilitation investigations. Read More

The upcoming 2017 Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) on Elastin, Elastic Fibers & Microfibrils will provide a unique forum for graduate students, post-docs, and other early-career scientists to present and exchange new unpublished data and cutting edge ideas on elastic matrix biology and applications. Presentations will be selected to reflect the diverse investigative directions and approaches in the field, from the molecular structure, function, and organization of elastic fiber components, to their mechanistic interactions with vasculature, skin, lung, and other elastic tissues, and their bio-engineering potential for cell repair and regeneration. McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine affiliated faculty member Marie Billaud, PhD, Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and in the Thoracic Aortic Disease Research Lab of the McGowan Institute, is a co-organizer of this GRS being held July 29-30, 2017, at the University of New England in Biddeford, ME. Read More

The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine held its 2017 Scientific Retreat March 5-7, 2017. The retreat provided many opportunities to explore collaborative endeavors with other researchers, participating guests, and external partners who are working to bring regenerative medicine technologies to clinical use.  The 2017 Retreat program included technical and strategic planning sessions. The program was designed to facilitate insightful discussions and to identify opportunities for partnerships and new initiatives. Read More

Pediatric research is prospering in Pittsburgh through the unique, multi-institutional Pediatric Device Initiative (PDI). Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh (CHP) and the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine have formed a partnership that combines the clinical strengths of one of the nation’s leading pediatric healthcare providers (CHP) and the research strengths of a global translational research and development enterprise (McGowan Institute).  Together this partnership aims to transform the status of the pediatric population that has been underserved by recent advances in treating tissue and organ failure. Read More

This symposium is designed to advance the use of biologic scaffolds for regenerative medicine and all general surgery applications via a series of objective presentations describing the potential benefits and risks associated with the use of such materials, factors that affect performance, and the clinical applications that may benefit most from their use. Topics range from the most basic science of scaffold remodeling at the molecular level through the preclinical and clinical level. The feedback from previous symposia (this is a bi-annual event) consistently identifies the equal mix of clinicians and basic scientists as the most beneficial and rewarding aspect of the meeting. Read More

Registration Now Open: 2015 Symposium – Regenerative Surgery: The Cutting Edge

This year’s symposium, “Regenerative Surgery: The Cutting Edge, “is hosted by LifeNet Health and will be held at The Institute of Regenerative Medicine, Norfolk, Virginia, September 25 – 26, 2015. McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine deputy director Vijay Gorantla, MD, PhD , Associate Professor of Surgery in the Department of Plastic Surgery and the Administrative Medical Direct or of the Pittsburgh Reconstructive Transplant Program at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center , is the symposium chairman. The goal of this meeting is to provide a state-of-the-art update on groundbreaking research and clinical progress in the fields o f regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, and reconstructive transplantation. The symposium will bring together experts to provide thought provoking insights into transformative scientific advances and future frontiers. Read More

5th Annual International Vision Conference

The 5th Annual Conference on Vision Restoration: Regenerative Medicine in Ophthalmology will be held on June 25 – 26, 2015, at the University Club located on the University of Pittsburgh campus. Read More

The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine held its 2015 Scientific Retreat March 8-10, 2015. The focus was on peer-to-peer networking, and the retreat provided many opportunities to explore collaborative endeavors with other researchers, participating guests, and external partners who are working to bring regenerative medicine technologies to clinical use. Read More

Fourth Annual Regenerative Rehabilitation Symposium

The annual Regenerative Rehabilitation Symposia series is a unique opportunity for students, researchers, and clinicians working in the interrelated fields of regenerative medicine and rehabilitation to meet, exchange ideas, and generate new collaborations and clinical research questions. Read More

**Registration Open: 2015 McGowan Institute Retreat

The 14th Annual McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine Scientific Retreat is set to take place on March 8-10, 2015, at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. Read More

The 14th Annual McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine Scientific Retreat is set to take place on March 8-10, 2015, at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. Read More

First “Regenerative Medicine Summer School” Week

The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine held its inaugural “Regenerative Medicine Summer School” the week of July 13, 2014.  The Summer School week, endorsed by the Society for Biomaterials and the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS), was initiated and led by McGowan Institute faculty member Bryan Brown, PhD, Research Assistant Professor with the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh with a secondary appointment in Pitt’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences. Dr. Brown is also the Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health Scholar (NIH K12), Magee Women’s Research Institute at the University of Pittsburgh, and an Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. Read More

The 4th Annual Conference on Vision Restoration: Regenerative Medicine in Ophthalmology

The 4th Annual Conference on Vision Restoration: Regenerative Medicine in Ophthalmology will be held on June 23 – 24, 2014, at Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall, 4141 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA. Read More

The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine held its 2014 Scientific Retreat March 9-11, 2014. The focus was on peer-to-peer networking, and the retreat provided many opportunities to explore
collaborative endeavors with other researchers, participating guests, and external partners who are working to bring regenerative medicine technologies to clinical use. Read More

Registration Now Open for the 2014 McGowan Institute Scientific Retreat

The 13th Annual McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine Scientific Retreat will take place on March 9-11, 2014, at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. Read More

On October 26, 2013, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine faculty member Savio L-Y. Woo, PhD, DSc, DEng, distinguished university professor and director of the Musculoskeletal Research Center in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Pittsburgh, presented the Keynote Lecture at the Taiwan Orthopaedic Research Society (TORS) Annual Meeting held in Taipei, Taiwan. The lecture was titled, “Recent Contribution of Biomechanics on ACL Injury and Reconstruction,” and focused on a combined experimental and computation approach to determine ligament function and joint motion accurately, specifically the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). With such information, it will then be possible to evaluate surgical procedures and their outcome, to improve rehabilitation protocols, to determine the mechanisms of ACL injury, and to develop sound training procedures for injury prevention that are scientifically based. Read More

University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute International Academy Scholars Present Projects

Fifty-six students from around the world participated as scholars in this summer’s University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) International Academy, a program designed to let students work directly with researchers in basic, translational, and clinical research experiential programs to develop, nurture, and support their interest and aptitude in pursuing careers in biomedicine and cancer. On the final day of the program, students presented findings about the work they did this summer. Read More

McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine Has a Strong Presence at ASAIO Annual Conference

The American Society for Artificial Internal Organs (ASAIO) hosted the 59th Annual Conference in Chicago June 12 – 15, 2013. The Conference attracted over 600 attendees with a broad range of interests. This Conference included presentations from up to 350 speakers from more than a dozen countries.  McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine affiliated faculty members and their representative PhD candidates presented many technical papers.  Faculty members represented included (in alphabetical order): Read More

The 3^rd Annual International Conference on Vision Restoration: Regenerative Medicine in Ophthalmology will be held June 10-11, 2013, at the University Club at the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Read More

McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine Holds Its Annual Scientific Retreat

The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine held its 2013 Scientific Retreat March 7-10, 2013. The focus was on peer-to-peer networking, and the retreat provided many opportunities to explore collaborative endeavors with other researchers, participating guests, and external partners who are working to bring regenerative medicine technologies to clinical use. Read More

Highlights from the Second Annual Symposium on Regenerative Rehabilitation

A team of McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine affiliated faculty members and the Institute’s director recently coordinated and celebrated the 2nd Annual Symposium on Regenerative Rehabilitation held on November 12 & 13, 2012, at the University Club in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The event attracted approximately 120 participants – an international audience comprised of scientists, educators, rehabilitation clinicians, and students/ trainees. The overall objective of this symposium series is to highlight and provide evidence for the synergistic relationship between regenerative medicine and rehabilitation, and to promote cross-fertilization between these two fields. Read More

Regenerative Medicine: Technologies Enabling Novel Therapies—Call for Abstracts

The 17th Annual Hilton Head Workshop—organized by Georgia Institute of Technology and the University of Pittsburgh and co-chaired by McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine deputy director Stephen Badylak, DVM, PhD, MD, professor in Pitt’s Department of Surgery, and Robert Guldberg, PhD, director of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering & Bioscience and professor, Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech—will be held March 20-23, 2013. The theme for 2013 is “Regenerative Medicine: Technologies Enabling Novel Therapies.”  The venue is the Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island.  The entire program will be built from submitted abstracts, with about 35 podium presentations, 8-12 “rapid-fire” presentations, and over 75 posters.  Abstracts are due December 15, 2012. Read More

McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine affiliated faculty member and University of Pittsburgh Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department assistant professor Ipsita Banerjee, PhD, attended the Frontiers of Engineering Education (FOEE) Symposium held October 14-17, 2012, at the National Academies’ Beckman Center in Irvine, California.  FOEE faculty members attending are actively teaching in U.S. engineering programs and have recently implemented significant innovations in their classes. Attendees participate in discussions and workshops focused on applying pedagogies to student learning of engineering fundamentals, as well as personal, interpersonal, and professional skills. Read More

Pittsburgh to Host Upcoming TMJ Bioengineering Conference

The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine is one of several co-sponsors of the upcoming TMJ Bioengineering Conference, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, being held September 20-22, 2012.  The meeting will provide a unique opportunity for bioengineers, clinicians, and scientists to discuss the challenges presented by temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJD, in the medical literature TMD, or TMJ syndrome) and to devise strategies to address those challenges. Read More

McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine Holds Its Annual Retreat

The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine held its 2012 Retreat March 4-7, 2012. The focus was on peer-to-peer networking, and the forum provided many chances to explore collaborative opportunities with other researchers and participating guests and external partners who are working to bring regenerative medicine technologies to clinical use. Read More