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Nina Tandon: 3

Growing Bones THINK ABOUT IT Number of weeks it takes

Some people believe creating human EpiBone to grow a bone
cells in a lab is wrong. It raises • So far, the company has
questions about what it means to be successfully made bones
human. Learn more about this. Then for pigs.

decide what you think. • In May 2019, the Food
Nina Tandon and Drug Administration

in 2016. (FDA) said the company
could start human trials.
The first trial will be for
cells to grow bones. Stem cells can patients with jawbone

turn into many different types of cells defects.
in the human body. • EpiBone could go to
market as early as 2023.
EpiBone takes a three-dimensional
X-ray of the area in a patient that
needs a new bone. A 3-D printer
creates a mold. The mold fits the creates the environment inside a
area like a puzzle piece. Stem human body. The stem cells multiply
All of Nina Tandon’s siblings had came from Massachusetts Institute
cells are taken from the patient. in the bioreactor to fit the mold.
vision problems. She turned to of Technology (MIT) in 2006.
A machine called a bioreactor re-
science to try to figure out why. Her
Tandon finished her education
early curiosity led to a career in
at Columbia University in 2012.
biomedical engineering.
She earned a PhD in biomedical
Tandon was born in 1980 in New engineering. Then she got a master’s
York City. She was good at math degree in business administration.
and science. She received her When she was still a student, she
bachelor’s degree in electrical created an electrical nose that could
engineering from the Cooper Union sniff out lung cancer. A bone that was

in 2001. Her master’s degree in grown in a mold
In 2013, Tandon cofounded EpiBone. by EpiBone.
bioelectrical engineering
26 This company uses human stem 27