Wake Forest regenerative medicine institute creates master’s program with STEM focus

The program represents a collaboration between the Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the Regenerative Medicine Laboratory within the University’s Innovation Quarter.

STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

The Translational Biotechnology program features two pathways, research and business, with the goal of preparing graduates to lead the movement of new therapeutics from the laboratory to the clinic.

Coursework is taught by the institute’s regenerative medicine experts.

According to the program’s website, “After graduating, you will be prepared to pursue a variety of STEM careers relevant to the present and changing times, based on the knowledge, skills and abilities you have gathered.”

“The broader workforce is eager to access critical new skills in market assessment, project management, product development, and finance, which were previously underrepresented or existed in graduate STEM education. I didn’t, it’s something I’ve developed as a student.

“You can develop the expertise you need for entrepreneurship, scale-up of biotherapeutics, or biomanufacturing (regulatory affairs, process development, quality control). Simultaneously required for a career in academia and industry.”

Tracy Criswell, director of the new program and associate professor at the university, said: Institute.

According to Criswell, the degree program is designed for anyone planning to work in an environment that:

• Academic research and educational institutions, including undergraduate and technical colleges.
• pharmaceutical industry;
• Biotech or start-up pharmaceutical companies.When
• Government agencies such as the Department of Defense, the National Institutes of Health, and the Food and Drug Administration.

said Nancy Johnston, executive director of the Piedmont Triad at the NC Biotechnology Center.

Specifically, this new translational biotechnology degree program: Important for the growing regenerative medicine cluster. An important factor in advancing translational research and development. And it is relevant to address the skill sets needed across the commercialization continuum. ”

Institute Director Dr. Anthony Atala said the degree program is “an integral part of the RegenMed Hub.” The hub, branded as ReMDO, debuted locally in June.

Atala describes RegenMed Hub as “a thriving regenerative medicine ecosystem in North Carolina, with the ultimate goal of improving patient care, providing access to unmatched resources to advance education, products and manufacturing. We provide it,” he said.

The Science/Research Focused Pathway is aimed primarily at students with a four-year Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Science who are interested in research in academia or industry.

Students pursue research projects that culminate in written dissertations and defenses.

Business-focused pathways are aimed at students who are already experts in their field (scientists or non-scientists) but want to gain knowledge about starting or leading companies in biotechnology.

Online, asynchronous coursework enables these students to pursue a Master of Science degree while remaining employed.

Students complete a capstone project in their area of ​​interest.

Both pathways require external training (local or virtual) with biotechnology partner organizations.

A Certificate in Translational Biotechnology is also offered and consists of 15 credit hours of didactic coursework tailored to student needs.

Research tracks require full-time study and are expected to be attended on campus. A research track student conducts research in her WFIRM to support a thesis.

The Business Track is a part-time program designed for working professionals and does not require participation in Winston-Salem.

Students enrolled in both tracks are required to attend a minimum of 5 semesters (20 months). Business track students can delay their study plans so that they can take fewer courses per semester and study at a slower pace.

The application deadline is March 1st. Full program and admissions information can be found at: https://school.wakehealth.edu/education-and-training/ Graduate-programs/translational-biotechnology-ms.

“The creation of this program will allow companies developing RegenMed products to be successful without leaving North Carolina,” said Johnston. “This is the difference between states, regions and Winston-Salem.”

In September, the institute announced that MIMEDX, based in Marietta, Georgia, will join the RegenerateOR Innovation Accelerator.

This accelerator will help regenerative medicine start-ups and growth companies move new and emerging technologies from research to commercialization.

MIMEDX is a placental biopharmaceutical company. Pioneer of placental tissue engineering.

In August, RTT Medical announced its accelerator tenancy plans.

MIMEDX says it has distributed over 2 million tissue allografts to date, primarily addressing the needs of patients with acute and chronic non-healing wounds.

Some of its medical research targets a late-stage biologics pipeline aimed at reducing pain and improving function in patients with degenerative musculoskeletal conditions.

The accelerator and RegenMed hub opening are designed to “further advance the science associated with the application of placental technology in multiple areas of wound care and regenerative medicine.”

MIMEDX aims to develop new products and optimize manufacturing processes, advancing the delivery of safe, innovative and evidence-based technologies to patients in a cost-effective manner. ”

Founded in 2021, RTT Medical manufactures regenerative tissue technology for wound management, including partial and full thickness wounds. pressure ulcers; diabetic ulcers; venous ulcers; chronic vascular ulcers;

All these injuries are called soft tissue repair. The company’s products have received 510(k) clearance from the Food and Drug Administration.

The company’s first market product is XCelliStem Wound Powder, a custom blend of materials that facilitates the healing and repair of wounds and burns.

The accelerator’s main attraction is ReMDO’s testbed, offering biomanufacturing equipment, industry expertise and talent to support new prototyping and commercial product development.

Debuting in June 2021, the Regenerator test bed lab space is designed to bring together resources to advance the regenerative medicine field nationally and create an economic development engine for the region and North Carolina.

Eleven collaborators including Oracle, BioSpherix and PHC (formerly Panasonic Healthcare) enabled the launch of the RegeneratOR test bed.

Atala said about $50 million has been invested in the Regenerator testbed, primarily from industry and government.

Another speaker, Chris Chan, chief executive of the North Carolina Economic Development Partnership, said in June 2021 that the initiative would bring significant economic benefits to Winston-Salem, the Triad, and across North Carolina. said to bring potential.

“Thanks to the work of Dr. Atala and his colleagues, everyone in Winston-Salem knows ahead of time what’s going on,” Chong said.

“You are in the driver’s seat of how this industry will continue to evolve and meet the needs of human health medicine.”

In April, the Institute and RegenMed announced a partnership with Axiom Space, which is developing the first commercial space station.

Lab officials described the partnership as “the next frontier” in research and manufacturing.

“We can literally take the field of regenerative medicine to a whole new level,” said Atala.

According to the Entity, the greatest anticipated benefit would be the first-ever research done on the International Space Station, “free from the constraints of gravity, offering great potential and benefits.”

“Our scientific research team is using biomanufacturing to bring new treatments that cannot be developed on Earth, as well as treatments for conditions that affect the human body when exposed to the harsh environment of space travel. can be advanced,” said Atala.

A key goal of the partnership is to further accelerate the translation of regenerative medicine technology into patient-facing products and services.

Axiom will become a tenant of ReMDO’s Innovation Accelerator and will have access to its testbed.

“This partnership paves the way for the entire commercial industry aboard the Axiom space station,” said Atala.