I-Corps: 3D Bioprinted Cardiac Tissue Patch for Heart Repair

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The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of an implantable 3D bioprinted patch device that can regenerate damaged cardiac muscle tissues. The proposed technology is for the restoration of necrotic myocardial tissues resulting from a severe form of heart attack known as ST-elevated Myocardial Infarction (STEMI). Current approaches to STEMI and heart failure treatment focus primarily on restoring blood flow to the cardiac muscle, but do little to regenerate the myocardium once damaged. During a STEMI event, decreased blood flow to cardiac muscle tissue (myocardium) leads to the death of heart muscle cells known as cardiomyocytes and permanent restructuring of the heart’s microstructure. As a function of the poor inherent regenerative capacity of the myocardium, an estimated 20% of patients who suffer an initial STEMI will go on to have a second within 5 years, and up to 30% of primary-STEMI patients will develop heart failure within 1 year. The proposed technology may be a first-in-class interventionary method for the regeneration of myocardial tissues and may improve the quality of life for STEMI patients by lowering their risk of subsequent heart attacks and progression to heart failure. Moreover, the technology may spur the development of other patch-based technologies for the treatment of other debilitating fibrotic diseases.This I-Corps project is based on the development of a 3D bioprinted tissue patch technology that promotes the regeneration of cardiac muscle tissue through the delivery of patient-specific cardiac cells. This proposed technology is aimed treating necrotic myocardial tissues resulting from a severe form of heart attack known as ST-elevated Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) and employs a tri-cultured, cellularized patch system to induce myocardial tissue regeneration developed using a murine chronic myocardial infarction (MI) model. Initial results using the proposed technology demonstrated that its structural design and cellular components promoted enhanced cellular engraftment, vascularization, and increased left ventricular ejection fraction of the chronic MI model 4 months post-implantation. Upon clinical testing and approval, the proposed technology may be implanted as an adjunct material onto the infarcted myocardium of individuals undergoing a standard coronary artery bypass graft procedure to promote myocardial tissue regeneration and the restoration of cardiac output. Additionally, as a function of the versatility of the proposed technology, the 3D printed patches also may be adapted for the regeneration of other fibrotic tissues of the body, as well as function as scaffold materials for the study of various diseases and testing of pharmaceuticals in both academic and commercial settings.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.