What is the aim of regenerative medicine – and how can regenerative therapies help kidney patients in the future? Dr. Olaf Schermeier, member of the Management Board responsible for Research and Development at Fresenius Medical Care, and Dr. Jeffrey Lawson, CEO of Humacyte, Inc., a biotechnology and regenerative medicine company, answer these questions.
Imagine you could simply replace body parts that are injured or damaged, whether from old age, illness, or an accident! A new kidney, a functioning blood vessel, a healthy liver from the lab? It’s a great idea – but deemed to be far from reality. Meanwhile, researchers all over the world are advancing the development of regenerative medicine.
“At present, chronic conditions are primarily treated with therapeutic approaches that aim to contain the illness or the symptoms,” explains Dr. Olaf Schermeier, member of the Management Board responsible for Research and Development at Fresenius Medical Care. However, the vision of regenerative medicine is not only to treat medical symptoms, but to actually combat and heal their cause. “Regenerative medicine aims to permanently restore the physiological functions of the organ or body part,” Schermeier sums up.