In 2008, the Regenerative Medicine CoEE focused on developing its intellectual and facilities infrastructure, recruiting its second endowed chair, Martin Morad, PhD, who joins Richard Swaja, PhD. The CoEE is now securing a pledge from the Hansjorg Wyss Medical Foundation for a third chair at Clemson in biomaterials and orthopaedic applications.

With a solid leadership foundation in place, plans for the South Carolina Bioengineering Center have been approved and construction is underway. Located on the MUSC campus, it will provide a focus for statewide regenerative medicine and bioengineering programs and will house researchers from all three universities.

Two major projects are in the early stages of development: Dr. Morad’s work on developing a biological heart pacemaker by genetically engineering cells and the South Carolina Project led by MUSC’s Roger Markwald, PhD, aimed at the vascularization of biofabricated complex tissues and organs. In 2009, thanks to the efforts of Dr. Markwald and his team, South Carolina was awarded a $20 million National Science Foundation grant to establish a statewide alliance in tissue biofabrication, which could lead to the production of human organs. The broad-based alliance includes the state's three doctoral granting research universities, Clemson University, MUSC, the University of South Carolina (USC); and three historically black colleges and universities, Claflin University, South Carolina State University and Voorhees College. Furman University and USC-Beaufort also are members. These exciting research initiatives offer great promise and have the potential to revolutionize and expand treatment options for patients.