The applied discipline of designing biological or synthetic systems to correct, enhance, or replace endocrine function. This includes tissue engineering of pancreatic islet cells for diabetes, creating artificial thyroid glands, or developing "smart" hydrogels that release growth hormones in response to local inflammation. It's biomedical engineering with a focus on the body's master regulatory network.
Example: "The lab's breakthrough in endocrine engineering was a bio-artificial adrenal capsule. For patients with Addison's disease, it sensed blood cortisol levels in real-time and secreted precise replacement doses, mimicking the lost feedback loop perfectly. It was a tiny, implanted organ grown from the patient's own cells."
by Abzugal January 30, 2026
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