Penile Transplants, Plasma Therapy, and Human Tissue Engineering

In this episode, Kimberly highlights how biomedical engineering can improve sexual functioning and reproduction. She discusses innovations in penile and uterine transplants and how these surgeries can restore fertility and function in men and women. Kimberly describes a soon-to-be released contraception for men called Vasalgel, which is a long-acting, non-hormonal product with a significant advantage over vasectomy because it is easily reversable. This contraceptive is not FDA-approved or available, but is currently undergoing clinical trials overseas. Her guest is sexual medicine physician Joshua Gonzalez, M.D. They discuss the use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to treat erectile dysfunction in men and the use of lasers to treat pelvic pain and post-menopausal pain in women. Kimberly completes the episode with an email from a listener seeking guidance regarding her gay son’s colo-rectal health.