The challenges that researchers are facing in cardiac tissue engineering are quite complex, requiring knowledge and expertise in a wide variety of areas. Institute researchers are currently developing a biomaterial scaffold that is both mechanically robust and biologically supportive for stem cell delivery to the myocardial infarct.

Other research is focused on encouragement and assessment of angiogenesis between this "myocardial patch" and the undamaged myocardial tissue; assessment and improvement of the mechanical and structural properties of the myocardial patch; and advancement from small to large animal models.