Outline in 2017

The spinal cord rarely repairs itself when damaged, but ways of encouraging nerves to regrow are on the horizon.

At present, there is no way to reverse damage to the spinal cord or to restore lost function. But regenerative therapies in the initial stages of clinical testing are offering hope.

Fractures that fail to heal properly often cause long-term disability, but new cell-based therapies may help.

A bone fracture that fails to heal after initial treatment can lead to prolonged disability. Regenerative therapies might help to restart the bone-healing process, getting the people affected back in action.

Increased levels of obesity are driving an epidemic of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Understanding, diagnosing and treating this progressive condition are now priorities.

A progressive and potentially life-threatening condition previously associated with alcoholism is becoming more common — even in non-drinkers.

Can regenerative medicine help to avoid leg amputation in patients with critical limb ischaemia?

Many people with critical limb ischaemia have no option but to have the affected limb amputated. Can regenerative medicine offer an alternative?

Can tissue engineering provide a cheap and convenient alternative to surgery for eardrum repair?

In the most severe cases, a ruptured eardrum can require surgery to put it right, but tissue-engineering techniques might provide a much simpler solution.

Damage to the surface of the cornea causes pain and loss of vision, but regenerative therapies are providing a clearer, brighter future.

Loss of the stem cells that constantly renew the surface of the cornea causes pain and, in some cases, blindness. Advances in transplantation and cell culture are helping to restore vision to even the most severely affected people.

The concept of computers that harness the laws of quantum mechanics has transformed our thinking about how information can be processed. Now the environment exists to make prototype devices a reality.

The promises of quantum computation are unique — and so are the challenges. Progress in physics, mathematics, computer science and engineering have brought quantum computers to a point where they start to challenge their classical counterparts. By Andreas Trabesinger; illustration by Visual Science.