Indiana University Center for Excellence in Regenerative Biology and Medicine

Study of human tissue and organ regeneration

The Indiana University Center for Regenerative Biology and Medicine is a multidisciplinary centre formed by the Schools of Science and Medicine at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and the Indiana University Medical Sciences Programs at Indiana University Bloomington (IUB) and Indiana State University (ISU). A team of seven scientists was awarded an $879 338 grant to establish this research centre in order to study human tissue and organ regeneration. The scientists began their research in 1999 with a two-year grant from Eli Lilly and Company.

David Stocum, PhD, Director

Christopher H. Allan, M.D.
Karen Crawford, Ph.D.
Ellen Heber-Katz, Ph.D.
Carlos Lopez, Ph.D.
Bryon E. Petersen, Ph.D.
Simon J. Simonian, M.D.

Department of Biology
IUPUI
723 W. Michigan St.
Indianapolis, IN 46202
USA
Phone: +1-317-274-0627
Fax: +1-317-274-2846

The research of the centre is focused on the identification of genes, proteins, and interactions that mediate tissue regeneration and the study of model systems including amphibians, organisms that can regenerate blood, bone, muscle, skin, intestines, spinal cord, heart muscle, retina and lens, jaws, tails, limbs, etc. T

he institute has established five fields of research using amphibian models and mammalian models, biomaterials research, bioinformatics and proteomics research and clinical research. Major focus of the researchers using amphibian models is the comparison of regeneration competent and regeneration deficient tissues in order to identify the patterns of gene activity associated with regeneration competence versus deficiency. Using amphibian models having the highest capacity for regeneration of tissues, Dr. David L. Stocum, investigating limb regeneration, aims to find human homologues to regeneration promoting and inhibiting genes so as to develop regenerative therapies for humans.