Fingers, urethras, ears, and many more parts are being grown from human tissue and cells right in downtown Winston-Salem. The Institute for Regenerative Medicine, a part of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, has been incubating and harvesting human cells to help patients with damaged body parts live without malfunction. A recent report published online by medical journal The Lancet stated that the urethras they have been growing are working!
“These findings suggest that engineered urethras can be used successfully in patients and may be an alternative to the current treatment, which has a high failure rate,” Dr. Anthony Atala, a pediatric urologic surgeon and director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, said in a statement. “This is an example of how the strategies of tissue engineering can be applied to multiple tissues and organs.”
Due to the Institute, Wake Forest University, Baptist Medical Center, and the growing Piedmont Triad Research Park, Winston-Salem has earned its title as a biotechnology community. In years past, Winston-Salem’s economy depended on textiles and tobacco. Today, it is continually being recognized for its innovation in medical advances, universities, the arts and infrastructure. The city has a unique personality that attracts a plethora of ideas to its community.
While its medical community continues to forge ahead, the city of Winston-Salem is hoping to update the highways surrounding its downtown. These major updates will align with the model behind the medical advancements as those responsible for implementing them will also utilize technology, innovation and the arts. Much like other cities with notable landmarks, Winston-Salem plans on having its newly designed roadways built to be attractive, to be of greater function, and to be an artwork of awe.
From body parts to highways, the city of Winston-Salem continues to look at ways to maximize on advancements in technology and innovation. If you haven’t visited Winston Salem lately, take a stroll downtown, especially now as the weather continues to get warmer. It’s ALIVE!
By Tony Jarrett
