Turkish scientists develop artificial skin and bone

Turkish scientists have succeeded in developing artificial skin and bone with support of the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK). Experts who sensitively turned biocompatible polymeric materials into three dimensional tissue skeleton obtained artificial skin and bone by implanting skin and bone cells to the skeleton. With the actualization of this project, the damaged skin or bone structure would be renewed through artificial production. Prof. Ismail Lazoglu from the Manufacturing and Automation Research Center of Koc University stated that the artificial rat skin has been produced in the experiments and that the innovation would be usable in hospitals within two years. The production of artificial skin and bone has been realized in three phases. Firstly, Prof. Iskender Yilgor from the Chemistry Department synthesized biocompatible polimetric materials, and then Lazoglu sensitively turned these materials into a three dimensional tissue skeleton in the mechatronic system that he has developed. Finally, Prof. Dr. Halil Kavakli from the Biology Department ensured the production of artificial skin and bone by implanting skin and bone cells to the skeleton. As part of the project, the Academic Research Funding Program Directorate (ARDEB) of TUBITAK has provided these three scientists with TL 148,000.