Tissue regeneration

Panel co-organizer David Kohn, professor of biologic and materials science in the U-M Dental School and biomedical engineering in the College of Engineering, studies bone structure at the molecular level. In experiments that use tissue engineering to build bone and other mineralized tissue, Kohn said, "we use a process that's like nature's, but certainly not as elegant."

The nanoscale structure of bone is crucial to its ability to balance strength and light weight, Kohn explains. Many anti-osteoporosis drugs on the market today merely add mineral mass, without doing enough to duplicate the mechanical properties of bone. "Mass alone is not enough to impart fracture resistance," Kohn said. Kohn's recent work is exploring ways to control the mineral composition and structure of new bone.