This post is presented by SBE, the Society for Biological Engineering--a global organization of leading engineers and scientists dedicated to advancing the integration of biology with engineering.Neil deGrasse Tyson
In this fantastic piece entitled Replacing Body Parts on PBS's NOVA series, Neil deGrasse Tyson explores new research in the field of human organ transplantation. He notes that a common problem with organ donation is that the recipient's body rejects the transplant because it identifies the organ as being foreign. A new solution for this problem is to create an organ that is made of the recipient's own cells. The researchers included in the video, including Chemical Engineer and MIT professor Bob Langer, take organs from cadavers of humans or other mammals and wash out the cells with a chemical found in shampoo.
When all of the cells have been removed, they are left with a translucent scaffold of the organ that only contains the protein framework of the organ. They can then drip in cells from the transplant recipient herself and the organ becomes restored and transplantable. Because it is made of the patient's cells, she will not reject the organ. This method was used to replace the lungs of a woman from Barcelona and she now lives a normal life free of tuberculosis.
I donated a kidney to my brother because his failed from Lupus. Ten years later, I was diagnosed with with Lupus and place on dialysis. I have had two transplants from cadavers. One transplant lasted 2 years and the other lasted 3 years before rejection. I am currently on hemo-dialysis awaiting my third kidney and I hope the science will catch up so I do not have to go through the rejection process again.
With a bit of smoke, a few mirrors and a degree in hieroglyphics, anyone can learn to read a P&ID. Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams is a topic that can benefit process, project and design engineers, business developers, operators, safety, maintenance and even management.
This Management and Leadership blog series is dedicated to the tools, approaches, and strategies that managers can use to promote the success of individuals and the team, and thus also the organization and themselves.
AccBio 2025 gathered leaders from industry, academia, and government to explore how AI, drug delivery innovations, and sustainability are accelerating biopharmaceutical development.
Biomanufacturing is evolving with the help of automation, data integration, and high-throughput tools. In this post, Beckman Coulter Life Sciences shares how their technologies are helping researchers accelerate DBTL cycles, improve scalability, and support sustainability.
Nearly 125 attendees from academia, industry, and the public sector gathered to discuss work at the forefront of regenerative engineering, medical biotechnology, genomics and genetics, computational and systems biology, and more.
Check out AIChE's newest member benefit, AIChE Engage. Use the
robust directory search to find and connect with members.
Participate in technical, career, and academic discussions about
chemical engineering.