A research consortium led by the Carnegie Mellon University is working on a functional, three-dimensionally bioprinted liver intended for use in cases of acute liver failure. For the project, named LIVE, the U.S. health research agency Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health is providing funding of up to 28.5 million U.S. dollars. The goal is not a permanent replacement organ, but a time-limited liver tissue that supports regeneration of the damaged organ.
The approach addresses a well-known problem in transplant medicine. While around 100,000 organ transplants are performed annually in the United States, a similar number of patients are waiting for a donor organ. In addition, there are other affected individuals who do not qualify for transplantation due to medical criteria. A temporary, implantable liver could at least partially bridge this gap.
Technically, the project is based on the so-called FRESH 3D bioprinting method, in which soft biomaterials such as collagen are printed into a supporting gel. This makes it possible to create complex, perfusable structures composed entirely of human cells and extracellular matrix proteins. The liver tissue is intended to remain functional for a period of approximately two to four weeks.
“The goal is to create a piece of liver tissue that you can use as an alternative to transplant, specifically for acute liver failure,” said Adam Feinberg, professor of biomedical engineering at Carnegie Mellon and principal investigator. “The liver we are creating would last for about two to four weeks. It would give patients time for their own liver to regenerate, and then, they would not need a liver transplant, freeing up those livers for other patients. The liver is just the first application, with the plan to expand to the heart, pancreas, and other organs. This innovation would fundamentally change healthcare as we know it, because most people suffer at some point from end-stage organ failure.”
A central technical aspect is immunocompatibility. Instead of relying on conventional immunosuppression, the team is using genetically engineered hypoimmune cells intended to function as universal donor cells. This could avoid the well-known side effects of immunosuppressive medications.
“The challenge is really the immune system,” Feinberg elaborated. “We are going to be using hypoimmune cells, which are engineered to be a universal donor, so anyone can have the cells and tissues we are building without needing to take immune suppression.”
“The LIVE project is going to significantly advance organ biofabrication for transplant by funding our highly capable team that combines the very best engineers, biologists, and clinicians,” Feinberg added. “The technologies and capabilities we develop will also have an impact beyond the liver, enabling additional efforts to build human tissue and organs to treat congenital heart defects, heart disease, blindness, and Type I diabetes.”
Within five years, a liver tissue at an adult scale suitable for preclinical testing is expected to be developed. The researchers involved also see the biofabrication technology being developed as a foundation for further applications, such as in heart or kidney disease. As a result, 3D printing is increasingly coming into focus as a complementary tool in regenerative medicine.
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