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What are biomodifying technologies?
Developments in biomedical innovation today can be seen in areas such as robotics, digital systems or new imaging techniques – and increasingly in areas marked by highly sophisticated forms of medical biology and biotechnology that involve altering ‘natural’ biological processes.
Three key developments form the focus for this project:
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the arrival of ‘gene-editing’ whose goal is to understand and remove disease-related mutations,
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the creation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) that can be controlled to create different types of tissue for cell therapy,
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the emergence of 3D printing of biological material which aims to create novel structures for bodily repair and renewal.
These developments can all be described as ‘biomodifying technologies’, that is, those that modify living biological tissue in novel and increasingly patient-orientated and customised ways.
The three technologies stand alone, but can also interact with each other – for example gene-edited iPSC lines are already being developed as research tools and 3D printing is being designed to create bio-structures from differentiated iPSC.
Why are biomodifying technologies important?
Biomodifying technologies are important in a scientific and medical sense but also because of their potential to reshape the landscape of biomedical innovation in the 21st century.
These are ‘gateway’ technologies with wide-ranging applications, significant commercial engagement and high levels of transferability, which open up far-reaching possibilities.