A Solution to the Problems of Heart Transpantation

Authors

Jeremy Struk, Brigham Young University
Alonzo Cook, Brigham Young University

Keywords

heart transplantation, heart failure, tissue engineering

College

Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering and Technology

Department

Chemical Engineering

Abstract

Ischemic Heart disease, according to the World Health Organization, is the leading cause of death in the USA and abroad.1 As a result of the high incidence of the disease and low transplant availability, the field of tissue engineering offers a promising solution. With the new developments in the field, many exciting treatments are available to help stem the tide of the disease, however; there is still a great need for more viable heart replacements to help patients with end stage heart failure. Tissue engineering offers the solution of creating hearts for patients in need that are constructed using the patient’s own stem cells. This could potentially solve the two main problems that heart transplantation therapy faces today: scarcity of transplantable organs and the recipient’s immune system rejecting the transplanted organ.

Recommended Citation

Struk, Jeremy and Cook, Alonzo (2017) "A Solution to the Problems of Heart Transpantation," Journal of Undergraduate Research: Vol. 2017: Iss. 1, Article 10.
Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jur/vol2017/iss1/10