Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine Lab

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Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine Lab

Advancing Children’s Medicine Through Innovation  

The Tissue Engineering & Regenerative Medicine (TERM) Lab at Nemours Children's in Delaware Valley transforms children's lives through innovative engineering-based solutions. We aim to help kids who are born with conditions that will require complex surgeries. Our goal is simple: Give these children the best possible chance at a healthy life.

Our multidisciplinary team of engineers, experts in data science and AI, and experienced doctors develops new approaches with the goal of fewer surgeries and better outcomes for kids.

Our groundbreaking work in cerebral palsy (CP) has revealed how this condition affects nerve connections in muscles, and we are investigating new ways to identify CP earlier in a child’s life. Our advances will bring hope to families, as earlier detection and treatment can prevent many physical challenges.

We're also developing new solutions for kids who need cardiovascular surgery. Our patented injected biomaterial technology protects blood vessels and supports healing, potentially reducing the need for additional procedures and improving long-term outcomes.

Moving forward, we’re interested in creating personalized treatments that can be tailored to each child's unique needs. Through advanced technologies like specialized biomaterials and stem cell applications, we hope to turn the scientific discoveries in our lab today into better treatments for tomorrow.

Principal Investigator

Robert E. Akins, PhD

Robert E. Akins, PhD

Principal Scientist

Executive Director, Nemours Research Career Development & Education

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Our Areas of Focus

Understanding & Diagnosing Cerebral Palsy

We create innovative approaches to address critical challenges facing children with cerebral palsy. Our research uncovers fundamental mechanisms involved in the onset and development of CP. Using advanced epigenetic and AI-based strategies, we seek to develop new diagnostic tools and therapeutic targets.

Our team of researchers, neonatologists, neurologists, therapists, and surgeons combines molecular biology, AI, and clinical expertise to identify blood-based biomarkers for early diagnosis and to understand the disrupted function of muscle and muscle stem cells in CP. Together, we hope to translate these findings into practical diagnostic tools and treatments to improve outcomes for children with CP.

Advanced Materials for Blood Vessel Surgery

While blood vessel surgeries are generally successful, many children have complications when vessels become narrow or stiff over time, often leading to problems that need additional surgeries.

Our team of heart specialists, surgeons, and engineers is working to develop special injectable materials that help protect and heal blood vessels after surgery. These materials act like a protective sleeve around blood vessels, helping prevent problems and reducing the need for additional surgeries. In the future, we hope that the flexibility and strength of these materials can be adjusted to each patient's needs, improving surgical outcomes and recovery. 

Research in Context

Our labs contribute to research that informs pediatric care, working in alignment with research centers and focused areas of scientific study at Nemours.