Tissue engineering is an interdisciplinary field promising new methods of tissue repair. There has been greater than $3.5 billion investment in this field since 1990. Relevant areas of progress include advanced computing, biomaterials, cell technology, growth factor fabrication and delivery, and gene manipulation. Techniques that are developed through basic research must be scaled up to industry to yield products that pass standards for safety and efficacy and are accepted by clinicians and patients. A goal of tissue engineering is to change clinical practice, yielding improved patient outcomes and lower costs of care.
