University of Pittsburgh
1655E 200 Lothrop Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Mission:

• To provide an environment focused on developing new therapies based on autologous stem cell therapy, such as adipose-derived stem cell therapies
• To educate and train residents, research fellows, medical students, and engineering students to pursue technologies related to regenerative medicine, specifically focused in nerve, soft tissue, cartilage, and bone regeneration
• To train a generation of clinicians and engineers in the implementation of regenerative therapies.

Directors:

Kacey Marra, PhD and Peter Rubin, MD

Background of Directors:

Co-Directors Drs. Rubin and Marra established this laboratory in 2002. Dr. Rubin is a surgeon/scientist whose clinical focus is in body contouring, while Dr. Marra is a tissue engineer. Both are faculty members in the Division of Plastic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh as well as members of the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

Major Accomplishments:

In 2006, the Adipose Stem Cell Center published approximately 15 papers focusing on the use of mesenchymal stem cells derived from adipose tissue. There have been over 40 lab members in the past 5 years in the lab. Current efforts focus on NIH and NSF funded research in the areas of soft tissue reconstruction and nerve regeneration.

Website:

http://www.mirm.pitt.edu/ascc/