clipped from: www.abc.net.au The Iraq war has triggered a massive injection of US government funds to fast-track efforts to grow replacement ears, noses, limbs, skin, muscles and other body tissue.
The US Pentagon this week launched a US$250 million initiative to address its unprecedented challenge of caring for troops returning from war zones such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
US soldiers are returning with amputations, burns, spinal cord injuries and vision loss, many injuries being of the kind that would have been fatal years ago.
A new Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine will develop stem cell and other therapies for burn repair, scar-less wound healing, facial reconstruction and limb reconstruction or regeneration.
US authorities say the effort will also benefit civilians with traumatic injuries and Australian burns expert, Professor Fiona Wood, of the Royal Perth Hospital, agrees.