Cover Image: Andrew Pelling
Though he is well known for making “Ears out of Apples,” Andrew Pelling had an even bigger announcement this week…
Pelling is Chief Science Officer of Spiderwort, a Canadian medical device company that develops innovative biomaterials for use in regenerative medicine. If unfamiliar, biomaterials are materials that have been engineered to interact with biological systems for medical purposes.
A firm believer in embracing creativity in the lab and pushing the limits of science, Pelling has been experimenting with biomaterials like apple-derived cellulose to efficiently produce low-cost scaffolds. Plant-based scaffolds have the ability to support mammalian cell growth, serving as a base for tissue engineering.
Pelling and his team at Spiderwort developed CelluBridge™, a Spinal Cord Scaffold Implant. This week, CelluBridge™ was designated by the U.S. Federal Drug & Administration (FDA) as a “Breakthrough Device.” The device has micro-channels to guide regenerating neurons through damaged areas of the spinal cord and preclinical studies have demonstrated restoration of motor function in individuals.
You can read more about Andrew Pelling here in Issue #2 of E-Squared Magazine.