National Endowment for Science, Technology & The Arts (NESTA) trustee Professor Sir Christopher Evans OBE last night (23 May 2002) announced the overall winner of The Medical Futures Innovation Awards 2002 as Dr Chris Mason of University College, London. He and his team have developed a disposable mould to construct human tissue based on the patient's own cells.
Tissue engineering uses living cells combined with either synthetic or naturally derived polymers to replace damaged or defective tissues, such as skin, cartilage and potentially organs. With the Mason system the cells are premixed with a natural polymer prior to injection into the mould and as the cells multiply they form a three dimensional organ. With no human contact contamination is kept to a minimum.
Dr Mason’s team won £10,000 and will be fast tracked through NESTA's Invention and Innovation programme, which holds the possibility of further funding to the sum of £100,000 taking the technology to the next stage of development. The first product target is replacement blood vessels for heart bypass. This would eliminate the trauma of transplanting veins from the patient.
In his speech to the Royal Society, UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair yesterday promised to increase investment in research and development. This followed Health Minister Hazel Blears’ admission that the NHS often stifles innovation.
Medical Futures rewards innovation by medical professionals. Dr Mason is a
surgeon working in the UK’s National Health Service.
www.medicalfutures.co.uk

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