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admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

Dr. Olaniyi Kehinde - Co-Pioneer Skin Cell Growth for Grafts

Dr. Olaniyi Kehinde and Dr. Howard Green invented "Transplantable sheets of living keratinous tissue" at MIT in Cambridge Massachusetts.

This is a method of producing transplantable sheets of keratinous tissue, by culturing keratinocytes in a culture vessel and subsequently enzymatically detaching a sheet of keratinous tissue employing an enzyme, such as Dispase.

In layman words they developed ways of growing human skin cells to be used as grafts for burn patients.

Prior to them there was NO record of anyone in the world using cells therapeutically. Cell contents and extracts were used, but Dr. Olaniyi Kehinde and Dr. Green pioneered a way of 'growing, expanding and grafting' entire human skin cells to replace the use of pig skin and amniotic sacs for burn patients. With their invention, burn patients could now have their own skin regrown and grafted rather than that of pigs.

They eventually formed a company 'Biosurface Technology' which helped develop a division of the FDA to oversee the actual use of 'entire' cells (rather than extracts or cell contents) therapeutically.
[n.b. FDA has 2 sections - one approves 'drugs' and the second 'devices', under which this invention falls.]

Biosurface was eventually sold to Genzyme Corporation 5 years later, and additional information regarding the company can be attained through them.

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May we be strengthened with the ability, willingness and capabilities to be good ambassadors of Nigeria contributing to its uplifting, rather than its detriment. - Cxsm

admin · Site Admin Joined: 25 May 2007 Posts: 5404

Sadly, Dr. Olaniyi Kehinde passed away on 3/29/05 aged 67 yrs.

He would be fondly missed by his fellow scientist, all those for whom he served as a 'Guardian' and Mentor for in the Boston metropolitan area, those with whom he worked at MIT and Harvard, and most especially his family and friends.

Humble until his last breath and loved by so many.
May His Soul rest in perfect peace.

Cxsm

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A Good Name is to be Chosen Rather Than Riches. Prov. 22:1

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May we be strengthened with the ability, willingness and capabilities to be good ambassadors of Nigeria contributing to its uplifting, rather than its detriment. - Cxsm