Abstract
The field of tissue engineering has evolved from its early days of engineering tissue substitutes to current efforts at building human tissues for regenerative medicine and mechanistic studies of tissue disease, injury, and regeneration. Advances in bioengineering, material science, and stem cell biology have enabled major developments in the field. In this perspective, we reflect on the September 2021 virtual Next Generation Tissue Engineering symposium and trainee workshop, as well as our projections for the field over the next 15 years.