Around the world, scientists are marrying technology with biology to develop “bioartificial” organs that may transform millions of lives. In the United States, an artificial lung is in preclinical...

Around the world, scientists are marrying technology with biology to develop “bioartificial” organs that may transform millions of lives. In the United States, an artificial lung is in preclinical testing, an artificial pancreas and kidney have been tested in rats, and an artificial kidney is in early human trials. In Germany, a bio artificial liver is in early human trials. A computerized eye for the blind is in human testing in Belgium. Several universities around the world are testing artificial ears for the deaf (Arnst, 2003).