This book describes a global assessment of stem cell engineering research achieved through
site visits by a panel of experts to leading institutes followed by dedicated workshops. The
assessment made clear that engineers and the engineering approach with its quantitative
system-based thinking can contribute much to the progress of stem cell research and
development. The increased need for complex computational models and new innovative
technologies such as high-throughput screening techniques organ-on-a-chip models and in vitro
tumor models require an increasing involvement of engineers and physical scientists.
Additionally this book will show that although the US is still in a leadership position in
stem cell engineering Asian countries such as Japan China and Korea as well as European
countries like the UK Germany Sweden and the Netherlands are rapidly expanding their
investments in the field. Strategic partnerships between countries could lead to major advances
of the field and scalable expansion and differentiation of stem cells. This study was funded by
the National Science Foundation (NSF) the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National
Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
