The Wyss Institute at Harvard University

Bioengineering transformed medicine in the last century by applying engineering principles to solve medical problems. However, engineering, biology, medicine, and the physical sciences are beginning to converge in unexpected ways. Developments in nanotechnology, genetics, and cell engineering now allow us to maipulate individual atoms, genes, molecules, and cells, as well as synthesize artificial biological systems. At the same time, progress in materials science, stem cell biology, and tissue engineering enables scientists to use adaptive synthetic materials, microdevices, microrobots, and biomolecular computational strategies to manipulate cell function, guide tissue regeneration, and control complex organ physiology. As a result, the boundary between living and nonliving systems is beginning to break down.