Engineering Solutions for an Ageing Population with Musculoskeletal & Cardiovascular Disease. 50 more years after 50.

The ageing population is increasing in number and life expectancy. The population expects fifty more years after fifty with high levels of activity and quality of life. However, the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems age and degenerate, adversely affecting mobility, ability to work and quality of life. Advances in engineering and bioscience have created opportunities for novel devices and regenerative therapies, which utilise innovative biomaterials or biological scaffolds to guide the patient's own stem cells to repair degenerative tissues. Advances in patient imaging and diagnostics are enabling earlier disease diagnosis with opportunities to intervene earlier in the degenerative process and preserve healthy tissue, and potential to provide patient specific continuum of care. WELMEC will deliver: - Longer lasting joint replacements in the hip, knee and spine. - Novel regenerative biological scaffolds for degenerative joint tissues, dental reconstructions and cardiovascular surgery. - Advances in cell therapies using the patient's stem cells. - Advanced medical imaging to facilitate earlier diagnosis and intervention. - Novel protein biosensors for disease diagnosis and improved patient targeting. WELMEC will integrate over 200 engineering, physical science, life science and medical researchers with clinicians and industrialists to develop and deliver innovative therapies and patient services for the ageing population.