Off-site lectures provide a way of exposing our scientific fellows to the practical applications of tissue engineering. 

Through our clinical lectures, surgeons identify the challenges they face with respect to plastic surgery, orthopaedic surgery, cardiothroacic surgery, and wound healing. 

Our patent law seminar provides an overview of the patent application process, including a description of the U.S. patent laws and the functions of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, attorneys and agents.

Here are some comments from our fellows:

• "The clinical lectures provide a backbone of our tissue engineering training. Nowhere can we get this very specialized type of training that is so specific to our tissue engineering program.  These clinical lectures provide the significance in a very tangible way to the basic research that we are performing in the laboratory."

• "The length of time and venue were perfect.  I liked the small intimate and low key feel of the venue.  I liked having the clinical slides to illustrate real cases."

• "I have found the lecture to be very useful...I think this initial exposure to different clinical topics is a good thing."

• Especially useful were:

On "Tissue Engineering Implications on Cardiothoracic Surgery" by Dr. Peter Scholz:

• "The seminar was very helpful in identifying important problems in issue engineering of heart valves and current means by which they are addressed. I hope to incorporate what I learned into my future research. The information was presented in an easy to understand manner and the speaker was very clear. The time allotted was appropriate for this topic."

• "Overall, it was a good seminar illustrating some of the issues where tissue engineering and the next generation of biomaterials could play a role in providing solutions. His message of 'repair, not replace' tells that although we are quite far from solutions for the current problems in the clinic, we may be on the right track of using the signaling systems and the cells/ECM in artificial/natural constructs to repair the body."

• "I thought it was very interesting to hear a surgeon's perspective on how engineered devices that are in use actually hold up in the body and the various issues that are encountered (clotting, the need for blood thinners, etc).  It's useful for us to keep these things in mind when conducting our research."

On "Tissue Engineering Implications on Plastic Surgery" by Dr. Henry Hsia:

• “The clinical lectures provide a backbone of our tissue engineering training. Nowhere can we get this very specialized type of training that is so specific to our tissue engineering program.  These clinical lectures provide the significance in a very tangible way to the basic research that we are performing in the laboratory."

• "The length of time and venue were perfect.  I liked the small intimate and low key feel of the venue.  I liked having the clinical slides to illustrate real cases."

• "I have found the lecture to be very useful...I think this initial exposure to different clinical topics is a good thing."

• Especially useful were:  "highlights on 'design criteria' that we should be aware of in our efforts to develop regenerated tissue"

On "IP and Patent Law" by Sarah Klosek, J.D.:

• "I thought the experience itself was very fruitful. It is not too often that a student / postdoc gets a chance to discuss the fundamentals of IP and patent law with a practicing lawyer.  The lecture presented the history of the patent office, details of the patent process and the differences in the process in different parts of the world."

• "The seminar was very informative, and gave a really useful overview of the patent application process.  It was a real eye-opener to hear all the fees associated with processing a patent."