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News – New Prize Ideas
Blood Vessel Challenge
23 January 2023
What is the Blood Vessel Challenge?
A multi-million prize for the creation of a 3D bioprinted blood vessel based on patient stem cells. The resulting organ should demonstrate (in vitro) its ability to respond to circulating hormones in the same way that a live blood vessel would, demonstrating its suitability as a replacement for heart bypass operations.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, often caused by the arteries to the heart becoming blocked. Treatment usually involves insertion of a stent to open the blockage, or coronary artery bypass surgery, which involves taking an artery from elsewhere in a patient’s body and using it to replace (bypass) the blocked blood vessel. Both of these approaches have significant and can cause damage to the artery that is being repaired or transplanted.
3D bioprinting is an increasingly promising solution to to manufacture biologically active 3D human organs for human transplant operations. By using a patient’s own stem cells, as well as patient specific constructs that can be adapted from CT or MRI scans of that individual, 3D bioprinting has the potential to generate sections of artery that are not only structurally specific, but can respond in the right way to circulating hormones to allow them to expand and contract appropriately.
Scientists have already 3D printed multicellular blood vessels that can model vascular function upon stimulation with certain cytokines, but challenges remain in achieving mechanical properties that are similar enough to real blood vessels (in the MPa range), as well as achieving efficient cell growth in the right parts of the structure. To overcome these challenges, we need to bring together the innovation potential of advanced and high resolution 3D printing techniques, with expertise in cell culture. Through this, we can achieve both the printability and print fidelity (ability of the material to maintain the printed shape) that are required for healthy, functional blood vessels that can dilate and contract in response to hormones in the body.
Why a challenge prize?
With growing interest in this field of research, scientists have already demonstrated the ability to print simple organs like cartilage and skin, but we are still a long way from being able to 3D print complex organs like the kidney that could be suitable for human transplants. A challenge prize can provide the incentive needed to overcome some of the barriers to progress, including resolution, materials formulation, and matching form with biological function.
We know that 3D printing technology is used for a range of other applications, with exciting advances across industries that could be harnessed for the purpose of tackling this challenge. A prize could attract and support these companies and researchers from other sectors to tackle the important challenge of organ bioprinting.
The topic of printing artificial organs raises many ethical questions, which in turn creates a need for new regulatory frameworks in terms of how these organs are classified and deployed. The Longitude Prize on AMR and other challenge prizes are examples demonstrating how a prize can bring regulatory bodies on board as collaborators in the creation of new regulatory standards, and then ensure that outcomes meet those standards.
Proposed prize structure
The challenge will be open to teams of innovators led by clinicians, companies and researchers who have demonstrated expertise in:
- 3D printing (biological materials as well as non-biomedical applications)
- Stem cell culturing
- In vitro testing in response to certain hormones
The prize will support numerous teams with designing novel approaches and validating them through in vitro testing. Solutions will have to demonstrate the following milestones:
- Semifinalist stage: 3D printed structure demonstrated with structural analysis of the cell composition to verify biologically equivalent (as close as possible) structure and materials composition.
- Finalist stage: Blood vessel tested (in vitro) to demonstrate biologically equivalent (as close as possible) mechanical properties and appropriate response to specific hormone stimulation (e.g. adrenaline)
This prize idea is designed to be a conversation starter, so tell us what you think!
The best prize ideas are developed through extensive research and engagement with experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience of the problems they are focused on. We start with a first draft like the one above – then work to improve, refine and validate our thinking.
We’re particularly keen to have conversations about this idea with potential funders and organisations working in the field. Get in touch if you’re interested – or if you think you have a better idea – and we’ll schedule a call.