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FOXX SECURES $2 MILLION FOR REGENERATIVE MEDICINE CENTER AT WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY
Washington, DC,
June 20, 2006
United States Rep. Virginia Foxx (N.C.-5) is pleased to announce that she has secured $2 million for the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest University. The funding was included in the Department of Defense Appropriations Act
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE United States Rep. Virginia Foxx (N.C.-5) is pleased to announce that she has secured $2 million for the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest University. The funding was included in the Department of Defense Appropriations Act for FY 2007, which passed the House tonight. “I am delighted that these vital funds were included in this bill,” said Rep. Foxx. “The research being done at Wake Forest has real-world implications for our men and women in uniform who face great risks and all too often lose limbs or organs during combat. As medical technology improves, the opportunity to avert or minimize the permanent damage caused by these injuries may come through the development of tissue engineering treatments.” “We are very proud of our work at the Institute, but especially proud and privileged to have Congresswoman Foxx work on our behalf to have funding appropriated for our research efforts with the Department of Defense,” said Anthony Atala, M.D., Director of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine. “This funding will enable us to advance the development of our technology and apply it to the war fighter’s needs.” The team at the Institute for Regenerative Medicine is pioneering groundbreaking research into the use of autologous tissues to treat battlefield injuries. These tissues could potentially result in saving limbs or organs, including the replacement of cartilage, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels. Autologous tissues are derived from the patient’s own cells and are capable of correcting a number of pathologies and injuries. The use of autologous cells eliminates the risks of rejection and immunological reactions and drastically reduces the time that patients must wait for lifesaving surgery. The use of autologous tissues to create functional organs is one of the most important and groundbreaking steps ever taken in medicine. “The funds included in this bill will support the continued research of an experienced team of scientists at the Regenerative Institute and will allow them to upgrade their facilities and speed up their research process,” said Rep. Foxx. ### |