With 2018 behind us, here's a look at some of our most-read stories of the year. Be sure to stay up-to-date in 2019 by subscribing to the Mayo Clinic Center for Regenerative Medicine blog. You may choose to have updates sent as soon as they're published or have a weekly email digest sent once per week.

Regenerative Medicine Facilities and Expertise in Florida
The Regenerative Medicine Therapeutic Suites has seen 1,000 patients since opening on Mayo Clinic’s Florida campus almost two years ago. The model, which integrated patient care with laboratory functions, is enabling the development and use of regenerative medicine products.

Cell Therapy for Cartilage Defects
Aaron Krych, M.D., a Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon, is researching the initial safety and feasibility of a single stage cartilage repair technique using the patient’s own cartilage cells and allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells.

Regenerative Medicine is the Future for Mayo Surgeon
While an innovative physician who is an expert at reconstructive pouch surgery, Dr. Lightner wants to see fewer inflammatory bowel disease surgeries. She is currently researching innovative cellular, non-surgical therapies.

Researching Cartilage Regeneration for Osteoarthritis
Mayo Clinic investigator, Jennifer Westendorf, Ph.D., is studying how proteins, called Girk2 and Girk3, contribute to cartilage formation and repair in the setting of osteoarthritis. Researchers believe that osteoarthritis may be prevented if these proteins are absent or inactive.

Golden Era in Medicine: Regenerative Medicine Symposium Looks to the Future
Over 200 providers, scientists, educators, students, entrepreneurs and patient advocates attended the 2018 Mayo Clinic Symposium on Regenerative Medicine and Surgery, where practice advancements, scientific discoveries, product development and access to care were just a few of the topics featured.

Tags: Aaron Krych, Amy Lightner, Center for Regenerative Medicine, Jennifer Westendorf, Mayo Clinic in Florida, Mayo Clinic Symposium on Regenerative Medicine and Surgery, News, regenerative medicine, stem cells