TheAdvanced Research Projects Agency for Health(ARPA-H) has announced the first recipients of its Personalized Regenerative Immunocompetent Nanotechnology Tissue (PRINT) program. The selected research teams fromCarnegie Mellon University,Wake Forest University,the Wyss Institute,University of California San Diego, andUniversity of Texas Southwestern Medical Centerwill develop advanced bioprinted organs, including livers and kidneys, designed to function without immunosuppressive drugs by using patient-specific cells or those from biobanks.
The initiative aims to produce human-sized, fully functional organs within hours, addressing the urgent shortage of transplantable organs in the United States, where thousands of patients die annually while waiting.
“Developing universally matched organs has never been done before in the history of transplantation. Printing a precisely matched, functional human organ will fundamentally change what is possible in transplant medicine and will save countless lives,” said Alicia Jackson, Ph.D., ARPA-H Director. “Through the PRINT program, ARPA-H will strengthen U.S. leadership at the frontiers of biotechnology and biomedical innovation.”
Technical Ambitions and Program Goals
PRINT seeks to accomplish what has long been unattainable in tissue engineering: creating human-sized organs complete with cells, blood vessels, and supporting tissue capable of performing the essential functions of kidneys, livers, and other organs. If successful, these initiatives could pave the way for regenerative solutions for other challenging organs, such as the pancreas and lungs.
The program carries a total budget of up to $176.8 million over five years. Funding is awarded as performer awards rather than traditional grants or contracts, contingent upon each team meeting aggressive milestones.
“What we are trying to do with PRINT is extraordinarily hard. It requires major breakthroughs in cell manufacturing, bioreactor design, and 3D printing technology to reliably build organs that function like the real thing,” said PRINT Program Manager Ryan Spitler, Ph.D. “But if we succeed, we won’t just be giving patients faster access to new organs—we will change the foundation of transplantation itself. The advances from this program could dramatically reduce wait times, eliminate the need for lifelong immunosuppressive drugs, and open the door to bioprinted solutions for many other organs in the future.”
Research Teams and Their Objectives
Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh will focus on developing cost-effective, immune-compatiblebioprinted liversfor acute liver failure, aiming for first-in-human trials within five years and eventually addressing all forms of liver failure.
Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem is working to produce clinical-grade, vascularized renal tissue to augment kidney function, validating their approach through preclinical trials alongside a commercialization strategy to reduce donor shortages.
Source: 3D Printing Industry
