Welcome to the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine

The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine and the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine are proud to co-lead a consortium of researchers that are part of the Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine (AFIRM). The Department of Defense established the AFIRM in 2008 to develop new products and therapies to treat severely injured U.S. service members.

The scientists of the AFIRM, representing more than 30 organizations, focus on regenerative medicine, a field that provides new hope for replacing or restoring damaged tissues and organs. The concept of regenerative medicine is engineer replacement tissues and organs and to develop cell therapies to restore function. While the AFIRM's goal is to develop new treatment options for severely wounded servicemen and women, the breakthroughs achieved will benefit the civilian population as well.

While the idea of regenerative therapies may sound like science fiction, treatments in this field are already benefiting patients. The AFIRM is evaluating several potential new therapies, including a new protocol for hand transplantation that reduces the need for powerful anti-rejection drugs. A clinical study is also under way of a new spray-on treatment for burn patients - an alternative to grafting that is designed to minimize scarring and promote healing. And this is just the beginning -- the Wake Forest-Pittsburgh Consortium aims to develop a score of new therapies within five years to bring transformational technologies to wounded warriors.