IU Researchers Using CTSI 3D Bioprinting Core to Study Organs
Indiana CTSI e-newsletter content from May 2018
Indiana University School of Medicine scientist and transplant surgeon Burcin Ekser, MD, PhD, will boost his lab’s xenotransplantation, or cross-species transplantation, research program with a four-year, $9 million research agreement with Lung Biotechnology PBC.
| IU School of Medicine researchers Lester Smith, PhD; Burcin Ekser, MD, PhD; and Ping Li, PhD. (Photo courtesy of IU School of Medicine) |
According to the latest data from the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, there are more than 110,000 people in the United States waiting for a life-saving organ transplant, and each day, about 20 people die while waiting for a transplant.
Dr. Ekser and his team are working to improve the availability of organs by creating new organ models using the Indiana CTSI-designated 3D Bioprinting Core, located at the IU School of Medicine and IUPUI in Indianapolis. The researchers are printing 3D pig liver tissue from genetically engineered pig liver cells. Then, they use this 3D-printed tissue to develop new research models for xenotransplantation.
Lung Biotechnology PBC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of United Therapeutics Corporation. Lung Biotechnology is a Maryland-based company focused on organ transplantation technologies, including through xenotransplantation.
The 3D Bioprinting Core is led by founding director Nicanor Moldovan, PhD, and core manager Lester Smith, PhD. The 3D printer is one of only two of its kind at academic institutions in the United States.
Read more.
Caring for kids
Notre Dame researchers will use CTSI funding to assess early childhood needs in St. Joseph County to help inform future health prevention and intervention efforts.
‘Key’ discovery
CTSI-supported researchers at Purdue have identified a molecule that may play an important role in unlocking the development of Parkinson’s disease.
Rx for access
A study by CTSI-funded researchers at IU Bloomington reports that in Indiana, only one in four pharmacists have actually dispensed the opioid overdose reversal drug, naloxone.
Honoring our own
Longtime Clinical Research Center (CRC) employee Sharon Cromer is retiring after nearly 30 years of distinguished service. A reception will be held June 21 in Indianapolis.
Updates coming
Be on the look out for an updated design on the IndianaCTSI.org homepage, and a new name and look for our INresearch.org volunteer registry.
FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
- Community Health Partnerships Firestarter Award
Deadline: May 25, 2018 - Community Health Partnerships Trailblazer Award
Deadline: May 25, 2018 - Devices Advancing Surgical and Interventional Care
Deadline: June 1, 2018 - Indiana-Purdue Addiction Care Technology (InPACT) Award
Deadline: June 1, 2018 - Indiana Drug Discovery Alliance
Deadline: June 4, 2018
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Training Opportunity: New Tool for Understanding ‘Omics Data
March 22, 23 and 24, 2018 | IUPUI, Purdue, Notre Dame - Memory University 2018: “Caregiver Health and Wellbeing: Maintaining Yours and Theirs”
June 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29, 2018 | IUPUI - Disease Diagnostics INventors Challenge
June 28-29, 2018 | Purdue - Save the Date: Indiana CTSI Annual Meeting
September 14, 2018 | Indianapolis - Save the Date: Indiana CTSI Notre Dame Retreat
October 26, 2018 | Notre Dame
View all upcoming events.
