Dr. Huiqi Xie, Professor and PhD student supervisor, Director of Laboratory of Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering of State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Deputy Director of Orthopedic Research Institute, West China Hospital, Sichuan University. She is a distinguished professor of Yangtze River Scholar of the Ministry of Education, winner of First Innovation Award for Translational Medicine. She has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles and holds over 30 patents as the first inventor. Five ECM materials products transformed from her laboratory have been certified by the NMPA as class III medical device, which have benefited over 5 million patients.

Topic title: Extracellular Matrix Materials for Tissue Engineering: From Research to Product

Abstract:

To develop new biomaterials capable of inducing regeneration of tissues has become an important direction in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Extracellular matrix (ECM) materials have played a significant role in tissue regeneration and reconstruction. It has been proved that extracellular matrix materials can alter local micro-environment to mobilize and recruit endogenous stem cells, promote vascularization, and activate intrinsic repairing mechanism. Through decades of fundamental research, we have translated our research findings into clinical products and formed a complete chain of research and transformation of extracellular matrix materials. So far five products, including bone, tendon, bio-membrane, hernia patch, and absorbable biofilm have been approved by the NMPA as class III medical device, which have been widely used in more than 2000 hospitals and benefited over 5 million patients. To address the demand for other tissue/organ repair, we have adapted a series of configuration optimization strategies for ECM materials with superior mechanical properties and regeneration induction ability. Such materials are convenient for clinical use and can adapt to the characteristics and functional requirement of the damaged tissues and/or organs.