Innovations in bioengineering are revolutionizing medicine. Preservation of tissues, organs, sperm/eggs can be preserved in several different ways for future use. Methods include specialized forms of supercooling, vitrification (especially for eggs), and drying (anhydropreservation). Many of the models for these developments come from nature: organisms that transition to frozen or dehydrated states for extremely long periods –and then revive. Mehmet Toner is an international pioneer in this field. He describes the significance of the preservation-revival research, the different methods, and the remarkable creatures in nature that serve as models for these methods.

Mehmet Toner is a member of the Senior Scientific Staff at the Shriners Hospital for Children. He is a co-founder of the Center for Engineering in Medicine, and founder of the NIH BioMicroElectroMechanical Systems (BioMEMS) Resource Center at the Mass General. In addition, he is Director of the Biomedical Engineering Research and Education Program for physicians at Mass General.