infocus #19 September 2010 Microscopy in Regenerative Medicine

Kee and Anderson explore the fascinating area of skin substitutes and compare the various methods that can be used for imaging and analysing skin.

DOI: 10.22443/rms.inf.1.58

Regenerative medicine is an exciting industry aiming to develop treatments that can replace or regenerate human tissues to restore normal function. The development of a tissue engineered skin to treat severe burns and acute skin wounds may help to save lives and provide significant benefit over current treatments. Light and electron microscopy are valuable techniques in the development of regenerative medicine products and can further the realisation of these products in everyday medical care.

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Authors

Jasmin Kee

Jasmin graduated with a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from Loughborough University, UK, in 2003. After working as a Process Engineer in multi-national, fast moving consumer goods companies for several years, she decided to pursue an engineering career in the life science industry. She returned to Loughborough University to undertake a PhD in regenerative medicine, part of an ESPRC funded Grand Challenge. Sponsored by healthcare company Intercytex, UK, the main focus of her research was to characterise and improve the ICX-SKN artificial skin graft manufacturing process and final product. Jasmin is now a Process Engineer at the leading tissue regeneration company Organogenesis Inc, USA, and is responsible for the development of a new automated facility for tissue engineered skin products and scale-up of cell culture processes.

Susan Anderson

Susan graduated with a Masters in Ultrastructural Anatomy and Pathology from The Queen’s University of Belfast and moved to the University of Nottingham in 1995. She established and led the Advanced Microscopy Unit, providing research support to academics and students from 15 University Schools and Departments in addition to Universities and industry from the East Midlands and beyond. Susan completed her PhD in orthopaedic biomaterials in 2001 and has a continuing active research interest in biomaterials and tissue engineering, and an ongoing interest in the application of microscopy to biomaterial and tissue engineered samples. Susan moved to the School of Graduate-Entry Medicine and Health in 2009 as Lecturer in Pathology. Susan has been a member of the RMS Materials Science Section Committee and in 2009, was invited to set up a new RMS section as Honorary Secretary for Education and Outreach.