The National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB) has recognized
the pioneering research of Dr. Stephen Badylak that led to the discovery of a
bioengineered tissue scaffold that promotes wound healing. The bioengineered
material that he initially discovered 20 years ago is now playing a crucial role
in treating conditions ranging from incontinence to burns. His discovery has
evolved into a significant advance in tissue engineering, laying the groundwork
for a host of new medical treatments.
The material which is derived from the small intestines of pigs is increasingly used by surgeons to restore damaged tissues and support the body’s own healing process. Physicians rely on the material, called small intestinal submucosa (SIS), for everything from reconstructing ligaments to treating incontinence. Today, SIS is most commonly used to help the body close hard-to-heal wounds such as second-degree burns, chronic pressure ulcers, diabetic skin ulcers, and deep skin lacerations.
“About half a dozen new tissue engineering companies have capitalized on our findings and have helped translate NIH-funded research into medical devices that are treating patients,” says Dr. Stephen Badylak, who helped to discover the healing properties of SIS about 20 years ago.
Dr. Badylak’s team found that the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the small intestine was the key to successfully creating a biologic scaffold for tissue repair. The ECM consists of structural and functional proteins including many types of collagen, growth factors, and support molecules. Additionally, the team discovered that the ECM not only serves as nature’s starting point for tissue healing, but also supplies the foundation for wound repair. For instance, the team learned that ECM-associated molecules generated during wound healing have potent functions, helping to resist infection and recruiting tissue-building molecules for the site of injury.
SIS, for example, which relies on an extracellular matrix, can be configured into sheets, gels, powders, and multilaminate forms for orthopedic use and hernia repair. In its early stages, scientists engineered SIS primarily from a mechanical perspective. Researchers were looking for a material shaped like a tube, the size of blood vessels, and strong enough to be sutured while also sustaining the contraction and expansion of a pulsating artery. Scientists have since realized that engineering SIS from a biochemical standpoint is paramount. For successful healing to occur, the graft tissue must foster a molecular environment that can speed up the body’s own healing process.
Dr. Badylak’s quest for improvements in the technology and to expand the applications is being pursued through currently funded NIBIB research, where he is trying to understand the biomolecular, immunologic, anatomical, and biomechanical processes of SIS.
See the summary of Dr. Badylak’s discovery on the NIBIB
web site.
For additional recent McGowan Institute materials on Dr. Badylak’s
research and outcomes please see:
- Dolphin Quest Enlists University of Pittsburgh Specialist to Develop Custom ‘Scaffold’ for Dolphin’s Tissue Repair
- From the Lab, to Commerce, to the Clinic…