TERMIS 2021 | Developmental barriers to tissue engineered corneas

Mark Daniell, MBBS, MS, FRANZCO, FRACS, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital & Centre for Eye Research Australia, Melbourne, Australia, discusses issues in utilizing tissue engineered corneas in the clinic. Initial challenges included optimizing endothelial cell expansion, as well as production of a biocompatible and transparent hydrogel scaffold. The use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) may additionally alleviate problems relating to sourcing endothelial cells, and long-term barriers include successful commercialization of tissue engineered corneas. This interview took place at 6th world congress of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS 2021).