#53 - Engineering living tissue therapeutics - Simon Mackenzie - Cellbricks Therapeutics

Is there a future where we will manufacture entire organs? If that's the case, it's not tomorrow. Yet, the era of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering is very much real and happening now! In some fields, like in dentistry, we are already 3D printing implants that are placed in patients' mouths. In others, like in orthopedic or plastic surgery, cells are harvested from patients to be modified and placed back into their bodies. But what we can't do yet is create complex, functional tissue constructs that can actively remodel and integrate with the human body to restore physiological function. This is the challenge that Simon Mackenzie and his team at Cellbricks Therapeutics are striving to overcome. The technology they have developed is fascinating, sitting at the crossroads of biomaterials, cellular engineering, and 3D printing. A discipline that aims to create the first "tissue therapeutics." The prospects it opens up are incredible: building grafts to heal complex wounds, functional implants for the liver, pancreatic islets for insulin production, and much more! In this episode of Impulse, we explore the inner workings of this fascinating field and the road ahead before the first tissue therapeutics are used routinely in the clinic, from a technical and regulatory perspective. A thought-provoking conversation offering a glimpse into what a truly "regenerative" medicine could look like in the future! Timeline: 00:00:00 - Simon's background as a Biochemist and seasoned executive in the life sciences industry 00:08:28 - Defining bioprinting, biofabrication, and tissue therapeutics 00:12:56 - Cellbricks' mission to recover tissue loss thanks to engineered tissue therapeutics 00:20:52 - Current evidence on the therapeutic potential of biofabricated tissues 00:24:55 - Cellbricks' biofabrication platform to engineer living tissues 00:30:33 - The challenges around the transport of biofabricated tissues 00:35:36 - The path toward broad use of biofabricated tissues in medicine What we also talked about with Simon: Erik Gatenholm Cellink BICO Aspect Biosystems Daniela Marino Cutiss Organoids L'Oréal Lisa Anderson Paragonix Technologies As suggested by Simon during the episode, you can learn more about biofabrication and tissue engineering on the Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute website. You can get in touch with Simon via LinkedIn, and follow Cellbricks Therapeutics' activities on their website, and LinkedIn. If you want to give me feedback on the episode or suggest potential guests, contact me over LinkedIn or via email! And if you liked the episode, please share it, subscribe to the podcast, and leave a 5-star review on streaming platforms! You can also support my work by doing a PayPal donation @ImpulsePodcast! Lastly, don't forget to follow our activities on LinkedIn and our website!