Organovo Holdings, Inc. (Organovo), a three-dimensional biology company focused on delivering breakthrough 3D bioprinting technology, and Yale School of Medicine, Department of Surgery have formed a collaboration to develop bioprinted tissues for surgical transplantation research, made possible by a generous gift from the Methuselah Foundation.
At any given time, the waiting lists for critical organ transplants are three to five times as long as the list of available organs. In addition, other transplantable tissues, such as blood vessels, lung, and bone, are also in high demand with few sources.
"Developing organs for surgical implantation will take meaningful efforts and focused partnerships. This collaboration with Yale, which combines their expertise and technology with our own, is one important step in progressing towards implantable, therapeutic tissues," said Keith Murphy, chairman and CEO of Organovo. "We are grateful to the Methuselah Foundation for their generous gift that gives those working towards significant breakthroughs in organ bioprinting an opportunity to use the NovoGen bioprinter and enable greater access to Organovo's powerful platform."
The fast-growing field of tissue engineering developed to address the shortage of tissues available for repair and transplantation. At Yale's School of Engineering & Applied Science and Yale's Department of Surgery clinicians and basic scientists are working to combine tissue engineering technologies with medical therapies.
"We are excited to begin this collaboration with Organovo and are honored to be part of Methuselah's University 3D Bioprinter Program, which gives our key researchers access to cutting-edge 3D bioprinting technology," said Dr. John Geibel, Vice Chairman, Director of Surgical Research, and Professor of Surgery and Cellular and Molecular Physiology at Yale University. "This collaboration is a great way to bring the best minds of both worlds to solve a major research and medical goal – using bioprinting to produce transplantable tissues."
Under Methuselah's University 3D Bioprinter Program, Methuselah is donating at least $500,000 in direct funding to be divided among several institutions for Organovo bioprinter research projects. This funding will cover budgeted bioprinter costs, as well as other aspects of project execution.
"We at the Methuselah Foundation have been a long-time supporter of academic and industry research in 3D bioprinting, regenerative medicine, and tissue engineering," said David Gobel, CEO of the Methuselah Foundation. "Our University 3D Bioprinter Program puts Organovo's breakthrough 3D bioprinting technology in the hands of the brightest scientists at tissue engineering centers of excellence."
Founded in 1810, the Yale School of Medicine is a world-renowned center for biomedical research, education and advanced health care. Among its divisions are one of the nation's oldest schools of public health and the internationally recognized Child Study Center, founded in 1911. Its Yale Cancer Center is one of 41 comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute. Its 33 academic departments include 11 in the basic sciences, 19 in clinical fields, and 5 in public health.
The Methuselah Foundation is a non-profit medical charity working to create a world where 90 year olds can have the health profile of 50 year olds, by 2030.