[DIYbio] NASA and New Organ develop the Vascular Tissue Challenge

This is perhaps an indication that the people running NASA's Centennial
Challenges Program may be open to more biotechnology-related items in
the future. A direction that might be worth exploring for those here who
want more integration with government programs rather than less.

In any case, if there are tissue engineers in your network, it may be
worth directing their attention to the $500,000 Vascular Tissue
Challenge under development at NASA, with the help of the Methuselah
Foundation. The deadline for comments on the RFI is only a few weeks away.

https://www.neworgan.org/vtc-prize.php

The Vascular Tissue Challenge is a $500,000 prize purse to be divided
among the first three teams who can successfully create thick, human
vascularized organ tissue in an in-vitro environment while maintaining
metabolic functionality similar to their in vivo native cells throughout
a 30-day survival period. NASA's Centennial Challenges Program is
sponsoring this prize to help advance research on human physiology,
fundamental space biology, and medicine taking place both on the Earth
and the ISS National Laboratory. Specifically, innovations may enable
the growth of de novo tissues and organs on orbit which may address the
risks related to traumatic bodily injury, improve general crew health,
and enhance crew performance on future, long-duration missions. The
Vascular Tissue Challenge rules are currently open for public comment.
If interested in this challenge, please provide your feedback.

https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&tab=core&id=404999c3a4466284f8101941b741c484


The Centennial Challenges program is seeking input on a Vascular Tissue
challenge being considered for start in 2016. The challenge would
require competitors to create a thick tissue with fully functioning
vascular systems, similar to the tissue found in the heart, lungs, liver
or kidney. This RFI is seeking feedback from potential challengers.
Comments must be submitted in electronic form no later than 5:00 pm EDT,
April 15, 2016. Competitors will be asked to produce an in-vitro
vascularized tissue that is more than 1 centimeter in thickness in all
dimensions at the launch of the trial and maintains greater than 85%
survival of the required parenchymal cells throughout a 30-day period.
Tissues must provide adequate blood perfusion without uncontrolled
leakage into the bulk tissue to maintain metabolic functionality similar
to their in-vivo native cells. Histological measurement of the quality
and amount of functional performance will be required to determine
survival of parenchymal tissue. Teams must demonstrate 3 successful
trials with at least a 75% trial success rate to win an award.

Reason

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