From Bench to Clinic: China’s Strategic Five-Pillar Pathway for Engineering-Led Regenerative Medicine

Regenerative medicine is increasingly adopting a systems-engineering approach that integrates cellular engineering, gene therapy, smart biomaterials, advanced manufacturing, and adaptive regulation. This five-pillar framework moves beyond isolated technological advances to create a cohesive pathway from basic research to clinical translation. By coordinating scientific innovation with industrial scalability, standardization, and ethical governance, the field is establishing the foundations for next-generation “living medicines” capable of functional tissue restoration. This review outlines the strategic rationale, key technological directions, and policy context that support this transformation, highlighting how integrated efforts across research, engineering, and regulation can accelerate the development and adoption of clinically effective regenerative therapies.